Novak Djokovic produced an unforgettable performance, with the racket and the microphone, to wipe the smile off Richard Gasquet’s face while Roger Federer continued his Bois de Boulogne stroll to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Sunday. World number two Djokovic extended his unbeaten run to 41 matches in 2011 as the Serb smothered dejected 13th seed Gasquet, who ran out of ideas during a 6-4 6-4 6-2 tennis lesson. Djokovic will next face Italian Fabio Fognini, who came out on top in a four-hour-22-minute, five-set battle with Spain’s Albert Montanes..
Federer, a 16-times grand slam champion, appeared to be floating through air in a 6-3 6-2 7-5 dismissal of fellow Swiss Wawrinka as he produced some delectable shots to draw “oohs” and “aahs” from the packed crowd.
But barely anyone noticed women’s third seed Vera Zvonareva make an early exit. Zvonareva had to play in front of rows and rows of empty seats on Court Philippe Chatrier as she was knocked out by fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 2-6 6-2 in a forgettable fourth-round contest. The 14th seeded Pavlyuchenkova, at 19 the youngest woman left in the draw, reached her first grand slam quarter-final after winning a topsy-turvy match filled with unforced errors and lost opportunities.