Roger Federer digs deep to edge out Marin Cilic in two hours and 35 minutes to reach the French Open third round
- The Swiss superstar had a heated debate with the umpire over a time violation
- Roger Federer won a decisive third set tie break to swing the game in his favour
- Federer beat Marin Cilic 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 to progress to the next round
- Federer will face Germany’s 59th-ranked Dominik Koepfer in the third round
Roger Federer lost his trademark cool but found some vintage tennis as he beat Marin Cilic 6-2 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2 to move into the third round of the French Open on Thursday.
The 39-year-old Swiss brushed Cilic aside in a one-sided first set but lost the second after a heated debate with the chair umpire over the time he was taking to towel down before Cilic served knocked him out of his stride.
Twice Federer has played big-serving Cilic in Grand Slam finals, winning both, and the duo’s 11th career meeting produced some high-octane tennis in a pivotal third set.
Roger Federer won the first set 6-2 against Marin Cillic but his opponent took the second
The Croatian showed great character to come back and clinch the second set 6-2
The third set was tightly contested and eventually went to a tie-break which Federer won
Cilic looked dangerous when he battled back from a break down but Federer raised his game in the tiebreak to move ahead.
A Cilic double fault gifted eighth-seed Federer a break for 3-1 in the fourth set and there was no way back from there.
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer, who had played only three matches in 17 months coming into Roland Garros, closed out the match in clinical fashion to set up a third-round against Germany’s 59th-ranked Dominik Koepfer.
The 39-year-old lost his cool and had a heated exchange with the umpire over a time violation
Federer celebrates after going through to the third round of the French Open