adminROME. — Frenchman Jeremy Chardy caught new father Roger Federer on the hop and Rafael Nadal had to fight to survive as leading seeds were tested by Frenchmen in Wednesday’s second round of the Rome Masters in Italy.Federer fell to Jeremy Chardy after missing on a match point to go down to a wind-blown 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) defeat.
Nadal was manhandled by Gilles Simon before the Spaniard came up with a third-set recovery in a 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 win lasting nearly three and a half hours in chilly night conditions.
The seven-time champion wasted a match point in the 12th game of the second set and lost the ensuing tiebreaker.
It took a massive effort in the third to squeeze out the narrow win.
Federer’s loss came barely a week after the 32-year-old became father to his second set of twins, boys this time round as opposed to girls the first occasion.
“Unfortunately, when I had the lead I couldn’t stretch it. That’s how it happened today. We both struggled at time in the wind – at the end it was a shot here or there that decided the match,” said the Swiss.
The fourth seed, who has never won the Rome title, decided to come and have a go on the clay of the Foro Italico after consulting with wife Mirka and his team.
Conditions were brutal for a match played amid great bursts of red clay blowing regularly through the air.
“The conditions made it difficult to prepare a proper game plan or execute the way you wanted. You can’t take as much risk, you just put the ball in play rather than going for it,” said Federer. Federer swept the opening set but began to fade in the second as a charged-up Chardy made his move.
Federer, who salvaged seven of eight break points in the final set, saved a first match point.
But he could not touch a freak Chardy crosscourt return which landed on his shoelaces.
“He’s not going to make that one very often, But it happens and credit to him. He fought his way back into the match and got it,” said Federer. — AFP.
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