USA TODAY International Edition
Federer continues straight-set run
Defending champ next plays Chung
“I’m very happy I got out of that first set, as it ended up being the key to the match. First set could’ve gone anyway. He got a little bit unlucky. I stole that one a little bit.”
Roger Federer, after denying Tomas Berdych two set points in the first set
MELBOURNE, Australia – History did not offer much encouragement for Tomas Berdych in his pursuit of conquering defending champion Roger Federer in their Australian Open quarterfinal appointment.
As hard as he tried, the Czech couldn’t counter his fate against the second-seeded Federer, who won their encounter 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, 6-4 Wednesday.
Berdych had the first advantage in the match, as well as two set points in the first. He had one serving at 5-3 and one with Federer serving in the 12th game but couldn’t convert either.
Once Federer was into the first-set tiebreaker, his mojo kicked in. From there it was the same old story: Federer wins, Berdych loses.
In the end, it was just another one of their all-about-Federer outings.
“Hung around, got a bit lucky, a bit angry, a bit frustrated at the umpire,” Federer said on the court. “I’m very happy I got out of that first set, as it ended up being the key to the match. First set could’ve gone anyway. He got a little bit unlucky. I stole that one a little bit.”
Federer came into the match boasting a 19-6 lead against Berdych in matches and had won seven of their nine encounters in the Grand Slam tournaments.
To enhance Federer’s domination over 19th-seeded Berdych, this match marked the third consecutive year they’ve tangled at Melbourne Park and the fourth time overall. Berdych didn’t win any of those outings and only once forced Federer past a third set.
Federer holds a nine-match winning streak over Berdych, last losing to the Czech in the 2013 Dubai tournament semifinals.
The fact that Federer at 36 is still a dominating force on the men’s tour is astounding.
In 2016, he took the last six months of the season off because of a knee injury — the first serious physical problem of his career.
He returned to the tour in 2017 in the Australian Open without knowing what to expect. His first matches were a struggle, but by the time he was in the final, where he barely edged out his closest rival, Rafael Nadal, in five sets, he was looking like the winner he’d grown accustom to being.
In 2017, Federer won two Grand Slam trophies, the Australian Open and at Wimbledon, and won titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Halle, Shanghai and Basel.
In play during the Open era, Federer has reached the Australian Open semifinal 14 times, which stands as the record, with retired Swede Stefan Edberg the next closest player with eight.
Winner of 19 Grand Slam titles — the most ever in the men’s game — Federer would join Margaret Court, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf as the only players in tennis history to win at least 20 Grand Slam singles trophies.
Nevertheless, before Federer’s name can be etched again on the Australian Open trophy, he will have to win two more matches. It’s worth noting he’s in peak condition and has yet to drop a set in five matches.
In the semifinals, Federer will play one of the new talents on tour in unseeded Hyeon Chung of South Korea in their first meeting. If he makes it to the final, Federer will take on the winner of the semifinal between sixth-seeded Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, and unseeded Kyle Edmund.
Federer had little trouble defeating Cilic to win last year’s Wimbledon title, but at that time the Croat was not at his fittest and shed tears at not being able to offer fans his best effort. He’s definitely looking stronger and more aggressive here at Melbourne Park.
“It’s great to see new names on the scene. We need it, I think,” Federer said. “I watched both of them (Chung and Edmund), and the way they made it through to the semis is impressive.
“I haven’t seen him (Chung) play that much. I’m incredibly impressed with his movement. It reminds a little bit of Novak (Djokovic).
“He clearly has nothing to lose. I will tell myself the same, and we’ll see what happens.”