Homeboy Llodra progresses in Paris
France’s Michael Llodra upsets second seed Novak Djokovic to set up quarter-final match with Nikolay Davydenko.
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| Llodra survived two set points to Djokovic in the first set before going on to win [Reuters] |
France’s Michael Llodra gave fans some patriotic vigour at the Paris Masters, with a surprise victory over Novak Djokovic, the second seed and defending champion.
Llodra outplayed the Serb, winning 7-6, 6-2 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals.
It was a boost for the French, who are to meet Serbia in the Davis Cup final in December.
Djokovic, who had arrived in the arena decked out in fake glasses, a moustache and a bow tie, had looked dominant early on but was knocked back by Llodra in a first-set tie break.
Llodra saved two set points in the tie break and then struck a backhand return that wowed the crowd to take the first set.
He then broke in to take a 2-1 lead in the second set and withstood three set points for Djokovic, before stretching for an excellent forehand volley to take the match.
The Parisian, whose young son was in the crowd, said: “I need to go further, I’m realising that I can go beyond the quarter finals at one-week tournaments,”
Llodra plays Nikolay Davydenko, the Russian, on Friday.
Roger Federer, the top-seed, also progressed to the quarter-finals, with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Radek Stepanek.
Federer, who is on a 11-match winning streak, is to play Jurgen Melzer next.
Gael Monfils, another Frenchman, also made it to the quarters with a win over Spanard Fernando Verdasco.