May 30, 2011 12:51:04 am
Roger Federer set yet another record by reaching the French Open quarterfinals Sunday,and Novak Djokovic closed in on a pair of his own. Federer extended his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3,6-2,7-5 victory over Olympic gold medal doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka.
Twenty-eight quarterfinals in a row,thats great, Federer said. But thats another opportunity for me to go one step further, he added.
Shortly after Federers match,Djokovic maintained his perfect season and stretched his overall winning streak to 43 matches by beating Richard Gasquet of France 6-4,6-4,6-2. Also Sunday,Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova knocked out the highest seeded player remaining in the womens draw,beating No. 3 Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (4),2-6,6-2 to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Defending champion Francesca Schiavone later advanced by defeating No.10 Jelena Jankovic 6-3,2-6,6-4.
Djokovic is 41-0 in 2011,including a pair of clay-court final wins over top-ranked Rafael Nadal. If he beats unseeded Fabio Fognini in the quarterfinals,he will match John McEnroes record for the best start to the season.
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With three more wins,Djokovic will equal Guillermo Vilass overall Open era record of 46 consecutive wins. Fognini,the first Italian to reach the quarterfinals at Roland Garros since 1995,overcame cramps in left leg and five match points to defeat Albert Montanes of Spain 4-6,6-4,3-6,6-3,11-9.
Sania-Elena in quarters,Maheshs campaign ends
Sania Mirza reached her first ever French Open womens doubles quarter-finals with partner Elena Vesnina but Mahesh Bhuapthis campaign ended after suffering a second round defeat in the mixed doubles along with Jie Zheng. Seventh seed Sania and Elena beat the Spanish duo of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1 6-4 in the third round.
Earlier,Indian Bhupathis and Zheng lost 6-4 3-6 7-10 to unseeded duo of Rennae Stubbs of Australia and Brazils Marcelo Melo. Bhupathi has already exited from the mens doubles along with compatriot Leander Paes. (PTI)
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