rogerfederer.com - Roger pushed hard by Clément

Roger pushed hard by Clément

Roger, top seed and defending champion, blew a 4-0 lead in the second-set tie-break before defeating Frenchman Arnaud Clement in three sets, 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 at the NASDAQ-100 Open.

 

Roger has now won his last 43 matches - including seven titles - on American soil, and matched Pete Sampras' record with 19 straight Masters Series triumphs.

 

Roger will not have to worry about the second-seeded Nadal here. Nadal was bounced by fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya, 1-6 6-2 6-2, in a second-round match-up on Friday.

 

Roger will now play 27th-seeded German Tommy Haas, a 6-0 6-3 winner over Peruvian Luis Horna. Haas pushed Roger to five sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, an event Roger went on to win for his seventh Grand Slam title. Haas has defeated Roger twice in the past, the last time dating back four years, though.