Roger Federer battles past Feliciano Lopez into the third round of Mutua Madrid Open
Swiss Maestro Roger Federer, ranked 3rd in the world, saved a match point before beating world number 39 Feliciano Lopez of Spain in three thrilling sets 7-6(13), 6-7(1), 7-6(7) in the round of 32 at the Mutua Madrid
Open in Madrid on Wednesday. Federer displayed sheer resilience as he won a marathon encounter in two hours and 56 minutes.
The Swiss legend took the lead as he broke Lopez in the eighth game. However, serving for the set at 5-3, Federer was unable to hold his serve and allowed Lopez to hold his own in the next game to level the score at 5-5. The set
went to a tie-break and it saw a fierce battle between the two players. In the end, Federer claimed the tie-break on his ninth set point, winning it 15-13.
The former world number 1 served magnificently, firing 11 aces and 68 percent of the first serves in the opening set. The Swiss won 82 percent of the first service points in the first set. The right-handed converted one of the
two break points he received and saved two of the three break points he faced in the opening set.
In the second set, none of the two players was able to break other’s serve, taking it to a tie-break. Lopez thrashed Federer in the tie-break and grabbed it 7-1. The Spaniard delivered eight aces and 66 percent of the first serves,
winning an incredible 100 percent of the points on them in the second set. Federer saved both break points he faced in the second set.
Just like the second set, Federer and Lopez held their serve in the first 12 games of the third set to force a tie-break. However, this time it was Federer who claimed a mini-break, winning the tie-break 9-7.
Federer hit six aces and did not commit any double fault in the final set. The Swiss kept his first serve percentage at 77 percent in the deciding set, winning 89 percent of the points on them. The 29-year-old did not face any
break point and failed to save any of the four break point opportunities he created in the third set.
The Swiss said, after the match, "I could have lost, so I'm obviously relieved to have come through this one," Federer said in an on-court interview after winning. "It was a tough match and a nail biter really from start to finish,
so it's nice to play those sorts of matches."
Federer is drawn to take on world number 49 Xavier Malisse of Belgium in the round of 16. The Belgian defeated Taiwanese Yen-Hsun Lu in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 in the second round.
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