Sixth seed Berdych crashes out of French Open
Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych crashed out of Roland Garros on Monday after losing a marathon five-set first-round tie to French qualifier Stephane Robert.
Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych crashed out of Roland Garros on Monday after losing a marathon five-set first-round tie to French qualifier Stephane Robert.
Berdych, a semi-finalist here last year and the Wimbledon runner-up, slumped to a 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 9-7 defeat, despite having had a match point at 5-4 in the final set.
Robert, the world number 140, next faces Italy's Fabio Fognini for a place in the last 32.
It was Robert's first career win at Roland Garros and just his second victory in eight Grand Slam appearances.
"I want to thank Mother Nature for allowing me to play such good shots," said the 31-year-old.
"When you play such a good shot, you feel that you're just one with the universe. When you have this beautiful dropshot or when you have a beautiful shot, you feel that you're united to the universe."