MX23RW : Tuesday, December 17 10:48:46| >> :600:333380152:333380152:

Live Commentary: Lukas Lacko vs. Roger Federer - as it happened

Relive our coverage of the first-round match at the French Open between fourth seed Roger Federer and Slovakia's Lukas Lacko.
2

Roger Federer has secured his place in the second round of the French Open with a 6-2 6-4 6-2 win over Lukas Lacko this lunchtime.

The former champion did not face a single break point has he wrapped up the match in less than 90 minutes.

The Swiss, who is seeded fourth, will face either Gastao Elias or Diego Sebastian Schwartzman in the next round.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good morning! The first match of the day of the Philippe Chatrier court has just finished, so Roger Federer and Lukas Lacko will be heading out the show court in just a few minutes time. On paper, this should be a fairly easy opening match for the former Roland Garros champion, but Lacko can be a tricky opponent, so it should be a fascinating encounter.

It's been five years since the Swiss won the men's singles title in Paris. Since then, he's been in the final once, had a last four appearance, and been knocked out in the quarter-finals twice, included last year when he was beaten by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Lacko has not enjoyed such success at the French Open during his career. He's played just four matches at this event before, winning only one on his debut in 2010. Since then, he's been knocked out in the qualifiers before suffering back-to-back first-round exits.

The players have just made their way out onto the court. The ever-popular Federer draws a big cheer from the Parisian crowd. They'll be given a few minutes to warm up and get used to the conditions on court before getting the match underway.

This will be just the second time that these two players have faced each other. In their only previous meeting, Federer clinched a comfortable 6-1 6-1 6-3 win at the Australian Open in 2011.

Lacko really isn't a fan of clay, this is actually his first tournament on the surface since he played at Roland Garros last year, so he may take a few games to find his pace this morning. While Federer is primarily known was his dominant grass game, he's looked impressive on clay this year, reaching the final in Monte Carlo before withdrawing from the Madrid Open ahead of the birth of his twin boys earlier this month.

The good news for today is that the weather looks fine. It's a little chilly in the French capital but bright and there's no rain forecast. The warm-ups are complete so it's time to get underway, with Lacko serving first

A couple of weak serves from Lacko allows Federer to claim a 30-0 lead, but the Slovakian manages to find his rhythm quickly to recover and wrap up the opening game of the match. That should settle any lingering nerves he has.

No problems for Federer in his opening service game. He opens with an ace before sending a couple of well-timed forehands past Lacko, clinching the game without his opponent taking a single point.

Lacko comes in to the net to attack Federer with a backhand volley, but a long forehand on the next point from the Slovakian leveled the scores. However, Federer fired a forehand long himself next time around, giving Lacko the game.

After both players claimed a point, Federer serves smoothly to ease to another hold, while Lacko looked jsut a little stiff moving around the court. He's shown a decent range of shots so far, but is yet to settle on the clay.

BREAK! Federer makes some superb returns to claim the opening two points of the game, but slips while reaching for a backhand to let Lacko back in the game. A punchy forehand at 30-30 brings up the first chance for Federer to take a break, and he does is, forcing Lacko into a mistake at the net to take control of this first set.

Federer starts brightly with an ace before coming into the net to win the next two points with volleys. Federer tries to volley again to wrap up the game but a superb lob from Lacko catches out the former champion, but he smashed his forehand long next time around to allow Federer to consolidate his break.

BREAK! Federer is continuing to focus on coming in from the baseline, and it's paying off as he brings up two more break points. Lacko tries to do the same to keep himself in the game, but slices his volley short to give the Swiss another break. Lacko hasn't really tested the fourth seed's serve yet, but he'll need to do so in the next game to keep himself in this set.

Federer is moving effortlessly around the baseline and has two set points.

SET! Lukas Lacko 2-6 Roger Federer

Federer takes just over 20 minutes to wrap up the opening set. The final game was another straight forward service game for the former French Open champion, rounded off by another mistake at the net from Lacko. Federer barely seems to have broken sweat yet has completely controlled this match so far.

Lacko makes a composed start to the second set as he tries to get back into the match. Federer makes some solid returns to force the Slovakian to fight for his points, but he produced some good backhands to edge ahead at the start of the second.

Lacko really didn't test the Federer serve in the opening set and the pattern continues at the start of the second, as the fourth seed continues to focus his efforts at the net to hurry his opponent, easily holding serve.

BREAK! Lacko gets his first ace of the match, but his success is short-lived as Federer glides around the court before bringing up another break point. However, an uncharacteristic volley error from the Swiss takes the game to deuce. Federer is soon back on form to take advantage before clinching the game as Lacko misses the baseline with a deep forehand.

Federer really is cruising now, as he eases to another comfortable hold. It's difficult to imagine Lacko getting back into this match now.

Lacko is starting to struggle to get his first serves in and it allows Federer to bring up the chance for another break, but Lacko manages to get it back to deuce before capitalising on a poor volley from the Swiss to escape with a hold of serve.

Federer holds serve without letting his opponent take a single point. Lacko isn't moving around the court too well at the moment, he doesn't look injured, he's just not coping with his opponent's game.

Lacko is having a really frustrating spell at the moment, for every good shot he makes, he follow it up with a careless errors on the next point. A wide volley allows Federer to bring up another break point, but a deep forehand from the Slovakian keep him in the game before a couple of big serves see him escape again.

Federer looks untouchable on serve at the moment! He opens with an ace before deceiving Lacko with a well-placed cross-court forehand. However, a fantastic lobbed shot to the corner from Lacko keeps him in the game, but it only delays the inevitable, as Lacko hits the ball into the net on the next shot to leave Federer just a game short of a two-set lead.

A mistake from Lacko gives Federer a chance to wrap up the second set, but he forces his forehand wide to bring up deuce. Lacko keeps his cool to bring up advantage before Federer hits the ball into the net to leave himself having to serve for the set. Federer has had a break point in Lacko's last three service games, but each time the Slovakian has fought back. The Swiss still has the advantage as he hasn't faced a single break point yet, but it must be starting to frustrate him.

Three missed returns from Lacko gives Federer three set points.

SET! Lukas Lacko 2-6 4-6 Roger Federer

Lacko manages to save the first of the break points as a powerful forehand from the Slovakian forces a mistake from Federer, but he recovers on the next point with a beautifully timed forehand to wrap up the second set.

BREAK! Lacko saves a couple of break points in a close game at the start of the third set, which he much win to keep himself in the match, but while facing his third break point of the game, makes his first double fault of the match to hand Federer the break.

The jitters seem to be affecting both players as Federer makes a double fault himself while trying to wrap up the game. However, he holds on consolidate his break on the next point with a solid backhand.

Lacko has his first comfortable service game in quite some time, quickly opening up a 40-0 lead. Federer tried to test him, getting a point back with another good volley, but Lacko holds his nerve to take the game.

Federer continued to take it easy on his own serve, with another couple of aces helping him to a 40-0 lead before securing the game when Lacko fires a forehand effort wide.

BREAK! There's a somewhat inevitable feeling to this match now as Federer goes two breaks up in the third set. The players shared the opening four point before the Swiss's impressive performance at the net gave him another break point. Lacko came in from the baseline to try to smash the small past his opponent, but he mis-hit the shot, resulting in it striking the net chord before bouncing well wide.

Federer plays some stylish shots as he wraps up another service game without Lacko getting on the scoreboard. The Swiss uses a mix of volleys and a flawless drop shot to leave himself one game from the second round.

Federer continues to move effortlessly to bring up match point, but he gets an unlucky hit on the net to take the game to deuce. Lacko shows great determination as he lunges around behind the baseline before winning advantage with a delicate drop shot before clinching the game to keep himself in the match on the next point, but Federer will now be serving for the win.

Federer has three match points...

GAME, SET & MATCH! Lukas Lacko 2-6 4-6 2-6 Roger Federer

It's a flawless cross-court forehand that wraps it up for Roger Federer. He was never really tested on serve by Lukas Lacko, allowing his to ease into the second round in less than 90 minutes.

Next up for Federer will be either Gastao Elias or Diego Sebastian Schwartzman, who are yet to play their first-round encounter.

That's all from this match, but stick around for more live coverage from the French Open, with defending ladies champions Serena Williams due on court shortly. Until then, thanks for joining me this afternoon, goodbye.

ID:156706: cacheID:156706:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:18460:
Written by
Sian Cowper
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates a point in his fourth round match against Stephane Robert of France during day eight of the 2014 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 20, 2014
Read Next:
Murray to play Golubev in French opener
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!