Federer battles past Benneteau

Roger Federer was made to battle every inch of the way as he posted an impressive victory over home favourite Julien Benneteau at the French Open today.

The world number one triumphed in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals, but the statistics only tell half the story as Benneteau – the world number 55 - time and again thrilled the partisan crowd on Philippe Chatrier Court with a raft of bullying groundstrokes and crisp winners.

Despite his best efforts, however, the Frenchman had no answer to the all-round game of Federer, who posted a 6-4 7-5 7-5 triumph in an entertaining encounter that lasted two hours and 26 minutes.

It appeared to be business as usual in the opening set as Federer claimed two early breaks to move three games ahead, but Benneteau rallied to get back on serve at 5-4.

Federer bounced back in the 10th game, however, breaking Benneteau to close out the first set.

The Swiss, seeking a 13th grand slam crown and a first at Roland Garros, broke again in the fourth game of the second set to move 3-1 ahead.

Four games later Federer was serving for the set at 5-3, but 26-year-old Benneteau had other ideas and converted the second of three break points with a fierce two-handed backhand to close to within a game.

Benneteau, displaying the battling qualities that saw him come from a set down to beat Robin Soderling so convincingly in the last round, then levelled in the set by holding after Federer had forced deuce.

But Federer has not won 54 ATP titles by chance, and over the next two games drew on all of his championship-winning experience to close out the set as the rain began to fall heavily at Roland Garros.

A 90-minute rain delay prior to the start of the third set did little for the concentration levels of either player, but it was Federer who appeared the least flustered as he broke Benneteau in the fourth game of the set with a stunning forehand winner down the line.

Benneteau broke back once again as the match continued to see-saw, converting on his fifth break-point chance of the seventh game with a purposeful cross-court forehand winner.

Benneteau saw off a Federer match point at 5-4 but three games later the Swiss eventually made the killer breakthrough, breaking for 7-5 after his opponent twice fired long as the pressure began to tell.