MOSCOW, June 2 (R-Sport) – Roger Federer pulled off a gutsy third-round victory over Gilles Simon at the French Open on Sunday, overcoming a 2-1 deficit to beat the relentless Frenchman in five dramatic sets to advance the quarterfinals.
The epic victory, Federer's 900th on the tour, took nearly three hours to complete and means the Swiss will play in his 36th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal when he faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who beat Viktor Troicki earlier in the day.
Federer, the world No. 3 and second seed at the French Open, has not missed the quarterfinals at Roland Garros since 2004.
On Sunday, hit nine aces and converted 75 percent of his first serves to win 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 before a crowd unflagging in their support of Simon, a native of Nice and the world No. 18.
