Paris: Roger Federer made short work of Argentinian Leonardo Mayer to become the oldest man in 28 years to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final at the French Open on Sunday.
The 37-year-old, playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015, claimed a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over world number 68 Mayer in a sweltering 32 degrees and will face either Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas or close friend and fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the last eight.
Federer, the 2009 champion in Paris, is the oldest man to make the quarter-finals of a Slam since Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.
“It’s fabulous that I can spend this time in Paris,” said Federer who last played the tournament in 2015 when he lost in the quarter-finals to Wawrinka.
Tsitsipas, meanwhile, defeated Federer in the last 16 of the Australian Open in January.
“I was prepared for the worst scenario, losing in the first round in three sets. But I am super happy with my performance.
“I will need to play like this again against either Stan or Tsitsipas.”
Vondrousova sets up clash with Martic
In a wide-open women’s draw after the shock exits of top seed Naomi Osaka and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams on Saturday, 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova reached her maiden major quarterfinal by thrashing Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-0 in only 59 minutes.
She will face 31st seed Petra Martic for a semifinal spot, after the Croatian followed up her third-round upset of second seed Karolina Pliskova by coming from a set down to beat Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
