French Open: Federer beats Monfils, as Safarova stuns Sharapova

Roger Federer reached the French Open quarter-finals after completing a comfortable win over Gael Monfils.

The Swiss, 33, won 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-1 to set up a last-eight tie with compatriot Stan Wawrinka.

Federer’s fourth-round match with Frenchman Monfils was suspended for bad light late on Sunday with a tie evenly poised at one set all.

But 2009 champion Federer made light work of securing victory over Monfils by claiming the next two sets.

The pair had walked onto Court Philippe Chatrier at 19:13 local time on Sunday after a day of rain interruptions.

Federer won the first set 6-3 in 29 minutes, but Frenchman Monfils retaliated to take the second 6-4.

On a gloomy evening at Roland Garros with the skies darkening, second seed Federer made a fast start and was 3-0 up in eight minutes.

He clinched the opening set in less than half an hour, but Monfils claimed the momentum with a break early in the second.

Federer threatened to extend the contest when he broke back to trail 5-4, but 13th seed Monfils took the set with a superb backhand and play was suspended at 20:31.

Earlier, defending champion Maria Sharapova crashed out of the French Open after losing in the fourth round against 13th seed Lucie Safarova.

The Czech 28-year-old won 7-6 6-4 to progress to the quarter-finals for the first time in her career.

Russia’s Sharapova has reached the final of the competition at Roland Garros in the previous three years.

Safarova will now face Garbine Muguruza in the last eight, after the Spaniard beat Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-4, reports the BBC.