Federer through to third round of the French Open after beating Cilic
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
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