Federer to face one of his fans

PARIS — If it seems Roger Federer breaks one record or another every time he wins a match, that’s because he does these days.

Then again, good as Federer is, he can’t top this: His next opponent at the French Open, Belgium’s David Goffin, is unbeaten in Grand Slam main-draw matches. (OK, so the kid’s only 3-0, but still.)

Yes, before Federer can take on Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros this year, he’ll need to defeat Goffin, the first “lucky loser” — a player beaten in qualifying who sneaks into the field via someone’s withdrawal — to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament in 17 years, and only the seventh to make it that far.

“Now I’m playing against Roger,” the 109th-ranked Goffin said after beating Lukasz Kubot of Poland, 7-6 (4), 7-5, 6-1, Friday, “and I can’t believe it.”

A fresh-faced 21-year-old, the slender, 5-foot-11 Goffin matter-of-factly discussed displaying photos and posters of 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer in his bedroom as a child.

“Since I was little, I’ve watched Roger play on TV. To me, he plays almost perfect tennis. His technique is perfect. I also like him at the human level; he’s a very good person on and off the court,” said Goffin, who was able to make his Grand Slam debut because France’s Gael Monfils pulled out with a knee injury.

Informed his next foe is an unabashed fan, Federer grinned and said, “Not the first time it happens.”

Probably so. Federer, 30, has been winning major titles since 2003, when Goffin was 12. He’s been winning Grand Slam matches since 2000, and Friday’s 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 defeat of Nicolas Mahut was Federer’s 235th, extending his Open era record.

The last “lucky loser” to make it this far at a major tournament was also Belgian, Dick Norman, who did it at Wimbledon in 1995.

Djokovic stretched his Grand Slam winning streak to 24 matches with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over Nicolas Devilder of France, wrapping things up at 9:32 p.m., just as the sun was about to set.

The top-seeded woman, Victoria Azarenka, also barely beat darkness while beating her foe, Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada, 6-4, 6-4. Second-seeded Maria Sharapova rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 second-round win over Ayumi Morita of Japan.