PARIS (Reuters) – If ever there was a year when Spanish dynamo David Ferrer might allow himself to dream a little it is this one.

Racing into the quarter-finals of the French Open without dropping a set, Ferrer has lived up to his top-four seeding and, with king of clay Rafa Nadal in the other half of the draw, the door to a first grand-slam final looks slightly ajar.

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) – Claycourt warrior Tommy Robredo came back from the brink yet again to beat fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro and reach the quarter-finals of the French Open on Sunday.

The 31-year-old Robredo looked down and out when he trailed by two sets and 4-1 on Suzanne Lenglen court but produced a stunning fightback to outlast the 11th seed 6-7(5) 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 after a three-hour-49-minute baseline battle.

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) – If ever there was a year when Spanish dynamo David Ferrer might allow himself to dream a little it is this one.

Racing into the quarter-finals of the French Open without dropping a set, Ferrer has lived up to his top-four seeding and, with king of clay Rafa Nadal in the other half of the draw, the door to a first grand-slam final looks slightly ajar.

PARIS (Reuters) – The good news for Rafa Nadal on Saturday was his game began to click, the sun shone and the red clay courts got bouncy – the bad news was French Open rival Novak Djokovic looked in the mood to snatch his crown.

Djokovic responded to Nadal’s victory over Italian Fabio Fognini by thrashing stylish Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov although the Serb was left in tears after learning of the death of his first coach Jelena Gencic, 76.

PARIS (Reuters) – The furrowed brow was replaced with the trademark smile as Rafa Nadal began to look more like a seven-times French Open champion and the sun finally shone at Roland Garros on Saturday.

The Spaniard was again tested, this time by flamboyant but frustrating Italian Fabio Fognini, but after dropping sets in his opening two rounds and raging at his rain-hit schedule, his 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4 victory was just what the doctor ordered.

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) – The furrowed brow was replaced with the trademark smile as Rafa Nadal began to look more like a seven-times French Open champion and the sun finally shone at Roland Garros on Saturday.

The Spaniard was again tested, this time by flamboyant but frustrating Italian Fabio Fognini, but after dropping sets in his opening two rounds and raging at his rain-hit schedule, his 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4 victory was just what the doctor ordered.

PARIS (Reuters) – Umpires clambering off their chairs to inspect ball marks in the clay is a common sight at Roland Garros but champion Maria Sharapova believes it is time technology took over after a rough call in her win on Saturday.

Sharapova slipped 4-1 down in the second set against tenacious Chinese Zheng Jie before going through 6-1 7-5 to set up a French Open last-16 clash with American Sloane Stephens.

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) – Umpires clambering off their chairs to inspect ball marks in the clay is a common sight at Roland Garros but champion Maria Sharapova believes it is time technology took over after a rough call in her win on Saturday.

Sharapova slipped 4-1 down in the second set against tenacious Chinese Zheng Jie before going through 6-1 7-5 to set up a French Open last-16 clash with American Sloane Stephens.

PARIS (Reuters) – Frenchman Benoit Paire accused umpire Enric Molina of double standards after he was docked a penalty point for receiving coaching at a crucial part of his third round defeat by Kei Nishikori at the French Open on Saturday.

The temperamental 24-year-old had already been warned for smashing a racket during the second set of his 6-3 6-7(3) 6-4 6-1 defeat on Suzanne Lenglen court when he was given a point penalty at 5-4 in the second set against the 13th seed.

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) – Frenchman Benoit Paire accused umpire Enric Molina of double standards after he was docked a penalty point for receiving coaching at a crucial part of his third round defeat by Kei Nishikori at the French Open on Saturday.

The temperamental 24-year-old had already been warned for smashing a racket during the second set of his 6-3 6-7(3) 6-4 6-1 defeat on Suzanne Lenglen court when he was given a point penalty at 5-4 in the second set against the 13th seed.