Out-of-sorts Federer Survives Scare in Monte Carlo

Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo twice served for the match, but Roger Federer progressed to the third round

Roger Federer came close to a shock exit in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters after struggling past the Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo.

After finally claiming his first tournament of the year in Estoril on Sunday, Federer was back to his early-season inconsistency, spraying ground strokes long and wide as he struggled to match Hidalgo's level of performance.

Federer was 5-1 down in the final set and Hidalgo, ranked 137 in the world, twice served for the match before the world No1 hit back to take it to a tie break. The Spaniard had no answer to Federer in the breaker with the 12-time grand slam champion eventually winning 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-1).

The in-form Frenchman Gaël Monfils now awaits him in the third round after he beat the Croatian 15th-seed Ivo Karlovic in straight sets, 7-6 (10-8) 6-1.

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