HALLE, Germany -- Roger Federer began his grass-court preparations for Wimbledon by coming from behind to beat Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-2 at the Gerry Weber Open on Thursday.

Sousa saved all five break points he faced before taking the first set in a tiebreaker, but the second-seeded Federer raised his level in the next two sets to win the second-round match and move into the quarterfinals.

It was Federer's first match since losing in the fourth round at the French Open to Ernests Gulbis. He had a first-round bye in Halle, where he is a six-time champion.

The seven-time Wimbledon winner will next play Croatia's Ivo Karlovic or Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun.

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/11070600/roger-federer-needs-3-sets-claim-halle-opener

kids are home from school so I haven't been able to watch at all. Sousa is a decent player but still ...

Sometimes depending on the conditions of the grass there can be horrific bounces...wonder what the weather was like. Rafroid is yet to play...sticking pins in his voodoo doll right now.

Rafroid lost today!!!!! Hah!

excellent! I need to get one of those!!!

Yu pulled out so Roger is through to the semis, Brown, you beat the Fraud yesterday, lost to Kohlschrieber, or however it's spelled.

Roger is through to the final...plays Falla tomorrow. Djoker is getting married today...good luck to them!

Hooray!

for Wimbledon!!!!

He's still the best grass court player...and it's not like anyone else is even playing all that well on grass right now...but at his age he loses concentration...here's hoping!