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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Federer takes no chances in third round

Ap

PARIS – Stepping onto center court to take on 88th-ranked Damir Dzumhur, Roger Federer was on his guard.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion had been caught cold at a previous French Open by a player ranked as low as the 23-year-old Bosnian, and he made sure that did not happen again. Federer advanced to the fourth round for the 11th straight year with a clinical 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win Friday.

“I’d never played him before, he moves well, he’s very quick. I didn’t know him and I didn’t know how he’d play on the key points,” said Federer, who lost in the first round in Paris to the 88th-ranked Luis Horna 12 years ago.

“Mentally I’m not always as relaxed as people might think, there is so much at stake,” Federer said.

The 33-year-old Federer, who is seeded second at the tournament, won his only French Open title in 2009 when he completed his career Grand Slam.

After winning his first two matches in straight sets, Federer put on another aggressive and solid display, winning 24 points at the net and saving four of the five break points he faced.

“Once I got the rhythm it got better and better, and I was able to play more freely and mix up the game,” Federer said.

The Swiss star hit a superb forehand passing shot to earn a match point and sealed it when Dzumhur sent a backhand into the net.

Federer will next be up against either 13th-seeded Gael Monfils or No. 21 seed Pablo Cuevas.

On a good day for the favorites, defending champion Maria Sharapova produced a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over former finalist Samantha Stosur and Federer’s Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka advanced in straight sets. After struggling in her first two matches at the French Open, Ana Ivanovic eased past Donna Vekic 6-0, 6-3 to book a spot in the second week.

It was Sharapova’s first serious test this year, and she passed it with ease, in a sharp contrast to her previous match with Stosur in Paris last year, when she trailed 6-3, 4-3 before turning it around.