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By Alberto Amalfi | Thursday, June 1, 2017

 
Andy Murray

"I certainly didn't want a fifth set," said world No. 1 Andy Murray after fighting off Martin Klizan in four sets.

Photo credit: Roland Garros

An ornery Andy Murray berated himself, barked at his box and ultimately balked at the prospect of a fifth set.

Relying on his scrappiness and some timely trips forward, the world No. 1 dug out of a one-set deficit subduing Martin Klizan, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3).

Watch: Del Potro Consoles Bawling Almagro

Murray’s comeback set up a Roland Garros third-round clash with Juan Martin del Potro in a rematch of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games gold-medal match.

The 2016 Roland Garros runner-up wasn't at his best, but was determined not to go the distance.

"I certainly didn’t want a fifth set,” Murray said. “At the end, there were some entertaining points"




It was Murray’s eighth win in his last nine French Open matches.

It didn't come easily.




Withstanding some whipping forehands from the left-handed Slovak, Murray drew 67 unforced errors from Klizan, whose affinity for the drop shot rivals Benoit Paire and seemed to annoy Murray at times.

Klizan, who played with taping wrapping his calf, alternated angled drop shots with some vicious forehand blasts denying Murray much rhythm.

Defending to extend rallies at times, Murray also won 22 of 31 trips to net, including a superb forehand volley to end an adventurous three hour, 34-minute test.

"I expected it to be very tough," Murray said. "He goes for huge shots and on his forehand he can hit winners anywhere on the court. Sometimes you think you have hit a good shot and then he comes up with unbelievable power from a defensive position. It was very tough."

It could get tougher.

The Wimbledon winner will face del Potro, who was deadlocked with Nicolas Almagro in the third set when the three-time quarterfinalist crumbled to the court weeping with a left knee injury that forced him to retire at 1-all in the third set.

Del Potro, who showed compassion and class consoling the anguished Almagro, took treatment earlier in the match for an apparent groin injury leaving his fitness in question for the third round.

Murray made history successfully defending his Olympic gold medal outdueling del Potro, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, in Rio. Del Potro gained a measure of revenge scoring a gripping 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Murray in the Davis Cup semifinals.

While the top seed took an arduous trip to the third round, other seeds advanced with conviction.

Third-seeded Stan Wawrinka slashed 41 winners, including 16 aces, defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-5.




The 2015 champion advanced to what could be a highly-entertaining third-round clash with Fabio Fognini.

In an all-Italian match, the 28th-seeded Fognini was a 6-4, 7-5, 6-3, victor over Andreas Seppi.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka has won four of five meetings with Fognini, including a straight-sets victory at the 2010 French Open.

No. 15-seeded Gael Monfils mastered Thiago Monteiro, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1, on the strength of eight service breaks.

The 2008 semifinalist will play fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet, a 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 victor over Victor Estrella Burgos.

Seventh-seeded Marin Cilic crushed Konstantin Kravchuk, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the Roland Garros third round for the seventh time.

The 2014 US Open champion will face Feliciano Lopez for a fourth-round spot.

In an all-Spanish encounter, Lopez hit 66 winners fighting off 30th-seeded David Ferrer, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in three hours, 52 minutes.

The eighth-ranked Cilic has beaten the left-handed Lopez in four of six meetings though the 35-year-old Spaniard has won both of their clay-court meetings.

 

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