Federer survives Andreev's upset bid in five sets
NEW YORK - His strokes awry, his emotions laid bare for all to see, second-seeded Roger Federer figured out a way to stay in the U.S. Open.
Federer found himself locked in a five-set struggle against the sort of player the world is accustomed to seeing him dismiss with ease, and it was only down the stretch that the four-time defending champion at Flushing Meadows looked the part.
Avoiding as big an upset as tennis has seen in awhile, Federer came back to beat 23rd-seeded Igor Andreev of Russia 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Tuesday night to reach the quarterfinals at the year's last Grand Slam tournament.
"Being down a set, and a tiebreak in the second set, obviously, you know, there's danger written all over that situation," Federer said. "You just hope that it's going to turn your way. It did."
When he finished the match with a forehand winner, Federer shook his fists violently and yelled, then flashed a grin toward his girlfriend and others in his guest box.
Hard to recall the last time this guy was so pleased by a mere fourth-round victory. Federer is, after all, a man who owns 12 Grand Slam titles, two shy of Pete Sampras' career mark. A man who has won 31 consecutive matches at the U.S. Open. A man who is trying to extend his record streak of 17 straight appearances in major semifinals.
And yet Federer couldn't stop smiling at the end of the 3-hour test, in part because, he explained, he found it fun to be pushed into a fifth set.
"I don't give myself the opportunity that much, you know, because I always win easily," he said. "I was just really pleased with my fighting spirit."
Federer will play 130th-ranked Gilles Muller in the quarterfinals Thursday. The only man from Luxembourg to play Grand Slam tennis knocked off No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10) to become only the second qualifier to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
Novak Djokovic won a five-setter on the same court earlier Tuesday, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 over No. 15 Tommy Robredo of Spain. Djokovic was bothered at various points by his stomach, his hip, his right ankle and breathing problems.
"Somehow," the No. 3 Djokovic said, "I managed."
He needed every ounce of heart, smarts and energy he could muster, and acknowledged that his quarterfinal foe - 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, who overpowered No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 at night - would be fitter. Roddick won 53 of 62 points on his serve and faced only 1 break point against the 11th-seeded Gonzalez to reach the quarterfinals for the seventh time in nine appearances at Flushing Meadows.
Roddick finished with 30 winners and only 7 unforced errors, an unusually strong ratio made more impressive in comparison to Gonzalez's 24 winners and 33 unforced errors.
"You never think you're going to run away with it," said Roddick, who is seeded eighth.