Joao Sousa saves four match points against Frances Tiafoe to set up Roger Federer clash

ATP Tour
Joao Sousa serving

Joao Sousa upset Frances Tiafoe in the first round of the Italian Open and his reward is a second-round match against Roger Federer.

The Portuguese took three hours and two minutes to beat Tiafoe 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), saving four match points in game 12 of the third set.

Sousa also found himself 1-4 behind in the deciding tie-break, but he won the remaining six points to earn a blockbuster clash against third seed Federer, who will be playing in Rome for the first time in three years.

The winner of the Federer-Sousa match will face Borna Coric after the 13th seed reached the third round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over British No 2 Cameron Norrie.

Russian Karen Khachanov had more of a workout as the 11th seed required three sets to beat Roberto Bautista from Spain 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 while 14th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili beat Laslo Djere 7-5, 6-4.

Basilashvili awaits the winner of the Rafael Nadal-Jeremy Chardy match in the third round.

Meanwhile, ninth seed Marin Cilic earned himself a clash against Jan-Lennard Struff with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Italian wildcard Andrea Basso.

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