Federer avoids Stuttgart upset, Muller not so lucky in Rosmalen
Roger Federer brushed off the cobwebs from his three-month break to book a Stuttgart Open quarter-final on Wednesday, although he was given a scare by Mischa Zverev.
Zverev took the opening set in their second-round clash but Federer eventually found his rhythm and began to look comfortable on grass.
Having battled back to level the match, Federer dominated the deciding set to book a last-eight berth against either Prajnesh Gunneswaran or Guido Pella.
“It feels good to win again,” Federer said after his 3-6 6-4 6-2 win. “I’ve lost my last two matches, so it’s nice to get a fresh start here.”
He is joined in the quarters by second seed Lucas Pouille, the Frenchman ending teenager Rudolf Molleker’s dreams of a second Tour win in emphatic style.
Pouille’s 6-3 6-4 victory sets up a meeting with Denis Istomin after the Uzbek beat Florian Mayer 6-3 6-4.
Wednesday also saw first-round victories for Milos Roanic, Max Marterer, Benoit Paire and Feliciano Lopez, while Gunneswaran sent sixth seed Denis Shapovalov packing.
First win back on at the @MercedesCup pic.twitter.com/0E3NO6qqR6
— Milos Raonic (@milosraonic) June 13, 2018
At the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, defending champion Gilles Muller bowed out in the second round against Matthew Ebden.
Unseeded Australian Ebden stunned the 2017 winner with a 6-3 7-5 victory, setting up a last-eight meeting with Marius Copil – who beat Yuichi Sugita on day six.
Ebden’s compatriot Bernard Tomic was also celebrating after he beat Robin Haase 6-3 7-5, while Fernando Verdasco is also a quarter-finalist after dispatching Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.
