Roger Federer dominated another tennis hopeful with a commanding performance on clay as the second seed hammered India’s Somdev Devvarman 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 yesterday to glide into the third round of the French Open.
The one-way win in 82 minutes over the 188th-ranked qualifier marked the 56th victory at Roland Garros for the 2009 champion who owns 17 Grand Slam titles.
If he reaches the quarter-finals next week he will clock the most wins ever at the tournament, beating the 58 of Guillermo Vilas.
“I think I’m playing okay,” said the Swiss who next faces Frenchman Julien Benneteau. “I definitely think the next match is going to be sort of the big test for me to see exactly where I stand.
“I’m happy that I was playing offensive and aggressive tennis in the first two matches, because I had the opportunity, but I didn’t back off and start to play passive tennis and waited for mistakes.
So I took it to my opponent, and I think that’s what’s good about it.
“But really I think I only know more after the Benneteau match, to be quite honest.” Seeds made the best of a dry day — one minor rain squall passed over the grounds — to turn in solid wins.
Men's Singles
Leading off was hared-working Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer, who beat compatriot Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. He was joined by 11th seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain, a winner over Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.
French sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga rebounded from an early break down against Finn Jarkko Nieminen to advance 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-3.
The top French player is shrugging off building pressure at this edition, the 30th anniversary of a title by a Frenchman when Yannick Noah lifted the trophy in 1983.
“I’m French, it’s in France, and of course there may be a bit more pressure, but for me it’s positive,” said the Swiss-based Tsonga.
“It’s positive pressure, because I have everything to win and I would say nothing to lose. If I lose the second round or third round, you know, that’s it.
“If I go far in this tournament or if I win, it’s going to be something huge.” Serbian eighth seed began Janko Tipsarevic recovering his form after a poor few weeks on clay, beating Nicolas Mahut of France, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1. Croatian tenth seed Marin Cilic brought Australian wild card teenager Nick Kyrgios back down to earth 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Unseeded one-time Roland Garros semi-finalist Gael Monfils created the most excitement for the Paris crowds with his enthusiastic defeat of Latvian Ernests Gulbis 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 in a battle of big personalities as much as tennis players.
At one point, the flamboyant Monfils began videoing the exchanged home crowd with his smartphone during a changeover, remarking that they were the stars of the afternoon.
Women's Singles
In the women’s second round, top seed Serena Williams was ferocious with French opponent Caroline Garcia in a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing. Williams claimed her only Paris title in 2002.
Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska defeated American Mallory Burdette 6-3, 6-2 and German eighth seed Angelique Kerber stopped Jana Cepelova 6-2, 6-2.
But the event ended for former number one Caroline Wozniacki as the 10th seed lost to Serb Bojana Jovanovski 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. The defeat marks a crisis for the Dane, who won her only match of the European spring on clay in the opening round.