Roger Federer through to 3rd round in Roland Garros with new record

PARIS — Roger Federer set a new record of 234 Grand Slam match wins Wednesday to reach the French Open last 32 where he was joined by top seed Novak Djokovic whose date with tennis destiny edged a little closer.


Federer, the third seed, overcame a mid-match wobble to beat Romania's Adrian Ungur 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, and go past Jimmy Connors' long-standing record of 233 wins at the majors which he'd equalled in the first round.


The 16-time Grand Slam title winner will face Nicolas Mahut of France for a place in the last 16.


On a subdued day at Roland Garros, Federer's post-match news conference was spent discussing Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.


"I had lunch next to the queen, that was exciting," said Federer, recalling the monarch's visit to Wimbledon in 2010 after a 33-year absence.


"She was very sweet, very nice, very polite, of course, and a pleasure to be around."


The 27-year-old Ungur, the world number 92, knocked out Argentine veteran David Nalbandian in the first round on his Grand Slam debut, having failed to qualify for any major on 13 previous occasions.


He was swept aside on the first two sets on Wednesday, but once he had saved two match points in the third set tiebreaker, he came alive to take the second round clash to a fourth set.


But normal service was soon resumed with Federer, playing in his 50th straight Grand Slam event, taking the match when the colourfully tattooed Ungur slapped a backhand return wide.



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