By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday June 5, 2021
Roger Federer passed a difficult test on Saturdy in Paris, battling past Dominik Koepfer for a satisfying win.
Photo Source: Getty
Roger Federer has passed another grueling Grand Slam test.
The Swiss battled past Germany’s Dominik Koepfer, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 7-5 in three hours and 35 minutes to set a fourth-round clash with Matteo Berrettini in Paris.
After the physical affair, Federer was happy, feeling that he has taken a big step forward, regardless of what happens in the next round.
“I thought it was very important for me,” he said. “I clearly hadn't practiced 3 hours 35, because that's obviously always pushing it. I pushed as much as I could, as we thought reasonable. But this today was I think a huge step forward for the team, and for all of us.
“I didn't expect to be able to win three matches here, and, you know, sort of back up a good performance of Cilic as well in completely different circumstances tonight. So I'm very happy. I think we have a lot to go through with the team about tonight."
Federer's performance caught the eye of three-time Slam champion Andy Murray who took to Twitter after the match to call Federer's performance inspiring.
If Federer was hungry for top-level tennis he has most certainly got it at Roland-Garros. The Swiss topped former Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic in a tough four-setter on Thursday and on Saturday Koepfer, the World No.57, pushed him every inch of the way in a night session that was played in front of an empty Court Philippe-Chatrier due to the 9 PM coronavirus curfew in place in Paris.
“I wasn't sure after the second set how much was left in the tank, so, you know, it was a good battle until then,” Federer admitted after the match.
Federer squandered a break lead in the second set and then squandered another break lead in the third before taking the third-set breaker. In the fourth set things didn't get any easier. Federer broke for 2-1 but was broken back immediately before rallying to finish off the feisty German. He finished with 51 winners and 63 unforced errors, and was broken 4 times in the relatively slow conditions.
It wasn’t the perfect match by any means but it was a physical test passed by the Swiss. Federer seemed to encounter a lull in the middle of the match and pressed on, looking fresh toward the finish as he finished off the victory.
Federer says that in his head he was picturing fans across the world watching on television, and it helped him stay dialed in and gut out the victory.
“I was really picturing a lot of people on a Saturday night maybe checking in on the game and watching some tennis,” he said. “So in many ways, I was also playing for them and trying to let that inspire me.”