PARIS — When Roger Federer finally emerged from that red-clay hole he dug Monday, he celebrated with a leap that sent him into the French Open quarterfinals and joined the roaring crowd with a scream of his own.
Less than 24 hours after Rafael Nadal was eliminated, Federer averted another stunner by beating Tommy Haas 6-7 (4), 5-7, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.
The French Open is the only Grand Slam event Federer has yet to win. He has been beaten by Nadal at Roland Garros four years in a row, the past three times in the final. And with the path to the title cleared of his No. 1-ranked nemesis, No. 2 Federer barely avoided a stumble.
“It’s maybe a good sign,” Federer said. “It was a great battle for me, and I’m thrilled to be through and given another chance here.”
He’ll next play No. 11-seeded Gael Monfils of France, who beat the darkness and eliminated a cranky Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Roddick began to complain in the second set that he had trouble seeing the ball in the fading light, but tournament officials denied his pleas for an overnight suspension.
The No. 6-seeded Roddick missed several easy volleys, including one to end the match at 9:37 p.m. The loss brought a sour end to his best showing at Roland Garros, and left Serena Williams as the lone American remaining in singles.
Williams reached the quarterfinals by beating Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1, 6-2.
The erratic form that has plagued Federer in the past year was again a problem for portions of the first three sets against Haas. But with the center-court crowd firmly in his corner, Federer mounted one of the biggest comebacks of his career. He won nine consecutive games to even the match, then swept the final five games.
When he smacked a service winner on match point, the stoic Swiss’ demonstrative celebration reflected what’s at stake. For the fourth year in a row, Federer is trying to become only the sixth man to win all four major championships.
“If he wins here, he’s probably the greatest ever,” Haas said.
Federer’s total of 13 Grand Slam titles is one shy of Pete Sampras’ record, and he’s well aware of the opportunity created by Nadal’s departure.
“It caused a bit of a shock in the locker room,” Federer said. “All the players are a bit relieved. Everybody suddenly sees that things are much more open.”
As was the case because of Nadal’s loss Sunday to Robin Soderling, other results became a footnote.
Williams dispensed with any drama, extending her Grand Slam winning streak to 18 matches by beating Wozniak. It was a straightforward, 53-minute victory, in contrast to Williams’ previous match, when she accused her opponent of cheating and had a coughing fit during a changeover.
Also advancing was 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who will next play Williams. Former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic was two points from victory but lost to 19-year-old Sorana Cirstea.
Advancing in men’s play were No. 5-seeded Juan Martin del Potro and No. 16 Tommy Robredo.
Somehow Federer managed to lose the opening set despite winning every service point — 24 in a row — until the tiebreaker. The first break of the match put him ahead 2-1 in the second set, but he gave it back, then hit several nervous points serving at 5-6 to lose that game.
Haas led 4-3 in the pivotal third set and was a point from serving for the match, but Federer hit a forehand winner to launch his comeback.
“Once I hit that forehand to save a break point, I felt that it could be the turning point of the match,” Federer said. “I was really very relieved.”
At 4-all, Haas had a 40-15 lead in the next game but made four consecutive unforced errors, including a double-fault, to drop serve for the second time. From there the match slipped away from the 31-year-old German, who lost to Federer for the eighth time in a row.
“When you’re that close to winning, it hurts,” Haas said. “I gave it all that I had out there today, and I came up short.”
Federer’s victory was the fifth of his career after trailing by two sets. The five-set match was his first at Roland Garros since 2001, and he improved to 14-12 in five-set matches.
On the women’s side, 19-year-old Sorana Cirstea upset Jankovic 3-6, 6-0, 9-7. Cirstea, ranked 41st, became the first Romanian woman to reach the quarterfinals at a major tournament since Irina Spirlea was a U.S. Open semifinalist in 1997.
The No. 7-seeded Kuznetsova earned another shot at Williams by beating No. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. Kuznetsova is 1-5 against Williams.
“I feel like I have nothing to lose,” Williams said. “This is when everything counts, you know. I have to pick up my level and play again a really good, strong match, especially playing somebody like Svetlana who is a great clay-court player and who moves extremely well and doesn’t do anything bad.”
Williams, seeded No. 2, seeks her 11th major title and third in a row. She won last year’s U.S. Open and the Australian Open in January.
Del Potro faced only one break point and beat No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4. Del Potro will next play Robredo, who defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
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