Beat Me If You Can

A few weeks ago, Tommy Robredo made an emotional return to the tour by winning his 10th clay court title in Casablanca. The result announced the Spaniard as a possible outsider at the upcoming Roland Garros, though few actually fancied his chances of making a big impression. A week into the tournament and, to the surprise of many, Robredo is still standing. It took some battling, but after four dramatic encounters, the old fox managed to equal his best showing in Paris, reaching the quarterfinals for the fifth time. 

The Spaniard can be crowned the hero of this year's Open, coming back from two sets down in three successive matches to reach this stage. However, the toughest test came in the third round, when his opponent, rejuvenated Gael Monfils, surrendered four match points. It looked like a pretty straightforward victory for Gael, but in true Monfils style, the Frenchman let slip a huge opportunity while serving for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set.

Facing Nicolas Almagro in the fourth round, Tommy had already two five-set battles under his belt, against Dutch Igor Sjisling, respectively Monfils. At 6-7,3-6,1-4 down, Almagro looked poised to record his sixth win over his compatriot. Nonetheless, as he had done all week, Robredo refused to give up. He fought his way back into the match, pressing Almagro to lose control of the dispute. The 31-year-old Spaniard became the first man since Henri Cochet to come back from two sets down for three successive matches in a Grand Slam. Cochet achieved the feat at Wimbledon in 1927.

"I played a player who is incredible on clay," said Robredo. "I'm not thinking about history. History is this match I played today. It's not the score that counts. Nothing more than that. He was 4-1 up [in the third set]. Maybe he had a little bit of doubt, though, in that moment. Then I just pushed hard and I won the third. And then I was just dreaming and dreaming to try to do it again, and I did it."

"I think that being in the quarter-finals again, it's amazing, and also with three comebacks the way I did," he concluded. "I just need to enjoy it because I think that in tennis, we need to enjoy it when we do great things and keep focused. Because if it's possible, why not? [I could be] one time in the semi-finals here."
Next up for the ferocious Robredo is another compatriot, the always dangerous David Ferrer. The challenge is huge once more, Ferrer holding a 6-2 head-to-head record against him. Will Tommy defy the odds once more?

Emotional Robredo pulled off another miraculous recovery, coming back from two sets down to stun compatriot Nicolas Almagro to reach the quarterfinals at Roland Garros for the fifth time.

photos: GETTY IMAGES