MONITORING DESK
\nPARIS
\nStan Wawrinka knocked Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas out of the French Open with a thrilling victory in the longest match of this year\u2019s tournament on Sunday, setting up a quarter-final against Roger Federer, while Rafael Nadal claimed his 90th Roland Garros win.
\nA stunning winner from yards behind the baseline secured a 7-6 (8\/6), 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 8-6 fourth-round triumph for 2015 champion Wawrinka after five hours and nine minutes in sweltering heat on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
\nThe 34-year-old has a 23-3 losing head-to-head record against close friend and fellow Swiss Federer, who saw off Argentinian world number 68 Leonardo Mayer 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the day.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s incredible, lots of emotions. Thanks to all the fans for staying and (the) support,\u201d said Wawrinka after the third longest match in the last 20 years at the French Open.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s for these kind of emotions that I live for after coming back from injury.\u201d
\nIt is the first time Wawrinka has reached a Grand Slam quarter-final since losing to Rafael Nadal in the 2017 Roland Garros final, and completes an amazing turnaround from 12 months ago.
\nLast year, the three-time Grand Slam champion, following injury struggles, lost in the first round to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and dropped out of the world\u2019s top 250.
\nThe 20-year-old Tsitsipas missed out on the chance for a rematch with Federer, having beaten the 20-time major title winner in the Australian Open fourth round earlier this year.
\nWawrinka, seeded 24th, saved 22 of the 27 break points he faced, including all eight in the final set as sixth seed Tsitsipas pushed for victory to no avail.
\n\u201cWorse thing in tennis. It\u2019s the worst feeling ever. Especially when you lose. You don\u2019t want to be in my place,\u201d Tsitsipas said.
\nFederer, the 2009 champion in Paris, is the oldest man to make the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament since Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s fabulous that I can spend this time in Paris,\u201d said Federer who last played the tournament in 2015 when he lost in the quarter-finals to Wawrinka.
\n\u201cI was prepared for the worst scenario, losing in the first round in three sets. But I am super happy with my performance.\u201d
\nFederer will be playing in his 54th quarter-final at a Slam, cementing his place on top of the all-time men\u2019s list.
\nFederer, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, said he still remembers his last-eight loss to Wawrinka in Paris four years ago.
\n\u201cI have a bad memory of it. Stan beat me in three sets with his terrible shorts!\u201c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MONITORING DESK PARIS Stan Wawrinka knocked Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas out of the French Open with a thrilling victory in the longest match of this year\u2019s tournament on Sunday, setting up a quarter-final against Roger Federer, while Rafael Nadal claimed his 90th Roland Garros win. A stunning winner from yards behind the baseline secured a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n