Fed can’t deliver, Sharapova battles on
Swiss veteran turns hopes to Wimbledon while Russian battler prepares to tackle rising stars at French Open
within his grasp. “I think when I’m healthy, like I have been now for the last six to nine months, I think clearly I can also decide the outcome of the matches more than I could last year.
“So I’m very excited about my chances for Wimbledon now this time.”
Federer won his seventh Wimbledon title in 2012, equalling the mark of Pete Sampras. It was his 17th career major but also his most recent.
Federer’s only French Open triumph came in 2009 and his last three visits to Paris have yielded steadily diminishing returns.
“Mentally I have already switched to the grass, to be quite honest. . . Clay doesn’t need me anymore, I got flushed out here,” he added.
“I guess I was a bit all over the place. Clearly very disappointed not to come through with the win. After the chance in the second set, fighting back in the fourth, not to play a better fifth set.
“A lot of regrets here now. But I think Gulbis did a good job . . . clearly coming back in that second set was crucial for him.”
Waiting for her there in the last eight will be 20-year-old Spaniard Garbine Muguruza who had little difficulty seeing off the challenge of French wildcard Pauline Parmentier, winning 6-4 6-2 on the Roland Garros centre court.
It was Muguruza who produced the shock of the tournament to date with a second-round upset of top seed and defending champion Serena Williams.
And if she fails to get the better of Sharapova, the Russian could be facing another 20-year-old in the semifinals in fast-rising Eugenie Bouchard.
The Canadian crushed German eighth seed Angelique Kerber 6-1 6-2 to reach her second Grand Slam quarter-final.
Her first came in Australia in January when she made it through to the semis.
The youngest player left in the draw, Bouchard, seeded 18, had made a slow start to her two previous matches, but she hit the deck running against the big-hitting Kerber, a Roland Garros quarter-finalist in 2012.