Federer comes back from dropped first set to beat Ferrer at Rogers Cup

BILL BEACON

THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL — Roger Federer overcame a weak first set to post a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spaniard David Ferrer in a battle of veterans in the third round Thursday at the men’s Rogers Cup.

In Friday’s quarter-finals, second-seeded Federer will face 12thseeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, who outlasted Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6 (2) on centre court at Uniprix Stadium.

Unseeded Argentine Diego Schwartzman posted a strange win over American Jared Donaldson 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 to advance to a quarterfinal meeting with Robin Haase, the 52nd-ranked Dutchman who upset seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-1.

Federer, who breezed past Canadian Peter Polansky in the second round on Wednesday, looked lost in the opening set, spraying balls long, wide or into the net, but gradually rediscovered at least some of the form that has seen the 36-year-old Swiss put back the clock with two grand slam wins this year.

Federer is 17-0 in his career against 35-year-old Ferrer, who was ranked third in the world in 2013 but is now at No.33.

Bautista Agut fought off a match point to force a tiebreaker, which the tired-looking Monfils opened with a double fault and never challenged again in the mostly uneventful match lasting two hours 56 minutes.

The unseeded Monfils played his third straight three-set match, including an upset win over fifthseeded Kei Nishikori in the second round.