Federer to face ‘lucky loser’ who keeps winning

Roger Federer of Switzerland wipes his forehead after his third round match against Nicolas Mahut of France at the French Open tennis tournament in Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Friday June 1, 2012. Federer won in four sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

PARIS  — If it seems Roger Federer breaks one record or another every time he wins a match, that’s because he does these days.

Then again, good as Federer is, he can’t top this: His next opponent at the French Open, Belgium’s David Goffin, is unbeaten in Grand Slam main-draw matches. (OK, so the kid’s only 3-0, but still.)

Yes, before Federer can take on Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros this year, he’ll need to defeat Goffin, the first “lucky loser” — a player beaten in qualifying who sneaks into the field via someone’s withdrawal — to reach the fourth round at any Grand Slam tournament in 17 years, and only the seventh to make it that far.

“Now I’m playing against Roger,” the 109th-ranked Goffin said after beating Lukasz Kubot of Poland 7-6 (4), 7-5, 6-1 on Friday, “and I can’t believe it.”

A fresh-faced 21-year-old whose voice was barely a whisper and whose hands fidgeted during an extended interview session with reporters, the slender, 1.80-meter (5-foot-11) Goffin matter-of-factly discussed displaying photos and posters of 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer in his bedroom as a child.

“Since I was little, I’ve watched Roger play on TV. To me, he plays almost perfect tennis. His technique is perfect. I also like him at the human level; he’s a very good person on and off the court,” said Goffin, who was able to make his Grand Slam debut because Gael Monfils pulled out with a knee injury. “I expect a very tough match on Sunday, of course. I don’t really know how I’ll prepare for it, but I’ll try to have fun.”

Informed that his next opponent is an unabashed fan, Federer grinned and replied, “Not the first time it happens.”

Probably so. After all, the 30-year-old Federer has been winning major titles since 2003, when Goffin was 12. He’s been winning Grand Slam matches since 2000, and Friday’s 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Nicolas Mahut was Federer’s 235th, adding to his Open era record.

Federer happened to catch a bit of Goffin’s second-round matchup against Arnaud Clement, the 2001 Australian Open runner-up who said this would be his final French Open.

The condensed scouting report?

“Nice game. Smooth ball-striker. And talented, obviously,” Federer said. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t be coming that far in this tournament.”

That match against Clement went five sets, as did Goffin’s first-round victory over 23rd-seeded Radek Stepanek — the only five-setters of his career. Against Kubot at intimate, 1,559-seat Court 7, Goffin was raucously cheered by flag-waving, chorus-singing supporters who made the short trip from Belgium.

“It gave me wings,” Goffin said. “I felt as if I was playing at home.”

Coincidentally, the last “lucky loser” to make it this far at a major tournament was also Belgian, Dick Norman, who did it at Wimbledon in 1995.

Now comes by far the toughest test of Goffin’s young career.

Or, looked at another way, a “bonus,” as he put it: the thrill of standing across the net from his favorite player and seeing how he stacks up.