By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, May 29, 2015
Roger Federer breezed into the Roland Garros fourth round for the 11th straight year.
Photo credit: Roland Garros
There was the slick backhand flick to close the second set and the slashing forehand strike down the opposite line that lit up the third set.
Roger Federer struck winners from so many different spots, he made the largest Grand Slam court in the sport look cozy displacing Damir Dzumhur, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
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Returning to Court Philippe Chatrier on a breezy day, Federer flew into the Roland Garros fourth round for the 11th consecutive year. Posting his 64th career Roland Garros win, Federer raised his clay-court record to 12-3 on the season.
The 2009 champion will face either 13th-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils or No. 21 seed Pablo Cuevas, whom he beat in the Istanbul final earlier this month, for an 11th trip to the Roland Garros quarterfinals.
The world No. 2, who muttered in frustration at times during his second-round win on Court Suzanne Lenglen, barely looked stressed today.
Federer converted five of six break points and dropped serve only once, while caught up indulging a drop-shot fascination while serving for the second set. Apart from that mis-step, Federer outclassed the 88th-ranked Bosnian with his all-court attack. He won 24 of 34 trips to net.
Playing just his fourth Grand Slam event, Dzumhur ran with desire, but was befuddled by Federer's dizzying ability to vary the height and spins of his shots. The 5-foot-9 Dzumhur's reach is limited when extended. Federer often hit the heavy kick serve that bounded shoulder high to back up his opponent then stepped inside the baseline to torch forehands.
Dzumhur's two-handed backhand is a compact stroke he can drag crosscourt or drive down the line. He can change it up with a shifty slice backhand. It didn't take Federer long to find the Bosnian's forehand, which is a longer, loopier swing requiring more time to unwind.
A series of heavy forehands forced an error as Federer earned the first break for 3-2.
Dzumhur driffted 10 feet behind the baseline at times to return. Federer exploited the defensive court positioning, serving-and-volleying sometimes and attacking behind his forehand on other occassions.
Federer, who served 70 percent and won 10 of 13 net trips in the opener, served out the first set at love.
The Swiss broke to start the second set. Federer fended off a pair of break points, responding with a four-point run to back up the break for 2-0.
Serving for a two-set lead at 5-2, Federer stalled with obsessive shot selection. Three times the man who once called the drop shot a "panic shot" played the dropper and three times he lost the point, including on set point when he dribbled one off the tape. It was as if Federer felt so comfortably in control of the match, he could indulge his urge to make the soft shot. Down break point, Federer pulled out the serve-and-volley on the second serve only to see Dzumhur crack a return winner down the line to break back.
Shrugging off the stumbled, Federer sealed the set with backhand brilliance.
His lead foot sliding into the doubles alley, Federer flicked an absurdly-angled backhand pass to take a two-set lead in flashy style.
A tremendous running forehand down the line brought an appreciative roar as Federer held for 2-1 in the third. He broke for a 3-1 advantage and never looked back. Federer has not surrendered a set in the tournament and figures to be at full strength for what could be a highly-entertaining fourth rounder on Sunday.