Does everyone feel so sorry for Andy Murray that they’re willing to lose so he can have a shot at a Slam?

This story seems familiar.  In 2009, Rafa did the unthinkable at the French Open.  He lost.  Federer had long wanted to complete the career Slam.  In 2008, he got demolished by Rafa.  And it seems like he wasn’t in any better position to beat him in 2009 than any other year.  The only good news was that he was still making the finals in those days.

But once Nadal lost and the opportunity presented itself, Federer struggled.  He was pushed to 5 sets by Tommy Haas needing to hit a winner to avoid a break.  He was pushed to 4 sets by Acasuso.  del Potro pushed him to 5 sets in the semis.  Finally, he got a relatively comfortable win over Soderling to claim his one and only French Open.

Julien Benneteau is one of those players that Roger should normally beat.  He’s not a power hitter like Berdych or Tsonga.  He’s not a human backboard like Nadal or Djokovic.  Benneteau had to play solid and hope Federer was off his game, and so he was.  Benneteau took the first set 64, then the second set in a tiebreak.  Fans had to be wondering if there would be another upset so soon after Nadal’s loss.  Federer took the third set easily 62, but they went to a tiebreak in the fourth set, and while Federer had got a minibreak twice, bad volleys and shots sent it to 6-all, before he took it 86 in the tiebreak.  Then, Benneteau appeared to cramp in the fifth set, and the close match became terribly lopsided with a 61 fifth set.

Earlier in the day, Novak Djokovic got in a spot of trouble dropping the first set to Radek Stepanek, before taking the next 3 sets comfortably.  He’ll face compatriot Viktor Troicki who had a straight set win over Juan Monaco.  Janko Tipsarevic, however, won’t be joining his Serbian teammates and lost to Youzhny in four sets.

Dennis Istomin, who had played well a few years ago, topped Alejandro Falla in four sets.  Xavier Malisse outlasted Fernando Verdasco in 5 sets.  He faces Federer in the next round.

Florian Mayer needed 5 sets to beat unheralded Pole, Jerzy Janowicz.  Mayer faces Richard Gasquet who had a comfortable straight set win over Nicolas Almagro.