Andreas Seppi has come through a five-set match at Roland Garros against Fernando Verdasco to advance to the fourth round of the French Open.
Verdasco, the 14th seed in Paris, began well and had the chance to serve for the set at 5-3 but Seppi reeled off four games in a row to take the first 7-5.
Spaniard Verdasco was more assured when ahead in the second and this time didn't falter at 5-3 ahead to take the set.
In the third it was Italian Seppi who broke through before moving to a 6-3 success to go ahead in the match.
Seppi, seeded 22, had a brief opportunity to break in game nine of the fourth but this was shut out by Verdasco, who went on to break in the next game and send the match into a decider.
The final set began evenly but it was Seppi who made the first break to take a 4-2 lead.
In the next he broke again before going on to close out the match 6-2 in the fifth.
He is likely to play world number one Novak Djokovic in the fourth round. The Serb takes on unseeded Frenchman Nicolas Devilder later this evening.
Pascal Lemesre
