I couldn't hold racquet due to pain, says Robredo

French Open miracle man Tommy Robredo, the first player in 86 years to win three successive Grand Slam matches from two sets to love down, revealed he could hardly hold his racquet because of pain.

Robredo, 31, clinched a 6-7 (5/7), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over 11th seeded Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro on Sunday to earn a place in the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Having also defeated Dutchman Igor Sijsling and French wildcard Gael Monfils in similar dramatic marathon circumstances, Robredo became the first man since Henri Cochet at Wimbledon in 1927 to win three on the bounce from such a deficit. As well as being two sets down, Robredo was 4-1 down in the third, trailing 4-2 in the fourth and a break down at 2-0 in the decider.

"I was tired and in pain. I thought I had to win the first set or it would be very tough," said Robredo, who missed the 2011 and 2012 French Opens after undergoing leg surgery which sent his ranking sinking to 471 in the world.

"But I lost the first set and the pain was crazy. I couldn't hold my racquet for a couple of games.

"So to come back, it's a lovely dream. I was down in all of the last three sets, but I just pushed hard. I was just dreaming of winning the third set. Then I dreamt of winning the fourth set and then the last and I did it.

AFP