Federer breaks Connors record with Ungur win
WORLD No3 Roger Federer survived dropping the third set to Adrian Ungur to win 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 and advance to the third round of the French Open with a record 234th grand slam match victory.
Federer, who won at Roland Garros in 2009, instantly assumed control of the match until midway through the third set, where he survived two set points to the world No92 before conceding the lead in the tie-break.
The fourth and final set was once again a comfortable affair whereupon Ungur, of Romania, rarely threatened. Federer now eclipses the retired American Jimmy Connors’s record of 233 grand slam match wins, something world No1 Novak Djokovic remains some distance behind, regardless of his form.
The Serb was again superb against Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia, taking the opening set in just 23 minutes in a
6-0, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Kavcic took a 4-1 lead in the second set before Djokovic levelled and closed out the match.
America’s Venus Williams, meanwhile, joined her sister Serena in exiting in the opening rounds following her 6-2, 6-3 defeat to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, the tournament’s third seed.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s finely-balanced match against Cedrik-Marcel Stebe was delayed by rain with the score at 2-6, 6-4, 1-1.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Men’s draw
Jarkko Nieminen v Andy Murray (4)
Denis Istomin v Rafael Nadal (2)
David Ferrer (6) v Benoit Paire
Women’s draw
Heather Watson v Julia Goerges (25)
Ayumi Morita v Maria Sharapova (2)
Na Li (7) v Stephanie Foretz Gacon