Federer ‘crazy’ good in third-round win
Roger Federer relaxed into the chair, his arms folded across his chest in a casual, confident way, and just savoured a vintage Australian Open performance.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion, seeded a lowly-by-his standards 17th after spending six months on the sidelines to let his left knee heal, only needed 90 minutes to beat Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the third round Friday.
This was against a highly-credentialed pro, seeded No. 10, who had reached the quarter-finals or better in Australia the previous six years, and had beaten Federer in six of their last 22 matches.
Federer said he felt like he struggled against the qualifiers in his first two rounds, and knew the degree of difficulty would rise sharply. Having beaten Berdych, he next faces No. 5 Kei Nishikori. And there’s a potential quarterfinal match against Andy Murray.
“It’s just crazy how quick I got out of the blocks,” Federer said of his almost flawless match against Berdych.
“What a difference it was in the feeling afterward. I did surprise myself.”
Federer had 40 winners and won 95 per cent of points when he got his first serve into play. He didn’t face a break point. Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open finalist who beat Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, has lost four of his six matches against Federer, including the last three. Five-time Australian Open runner-up Murray advanced to the fourth round for the ninth straight year with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 31 Sam Querrey.
U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka had a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7) win over Viktor Troicki. Seventime major winner Venus Williams routed Duan Yingying 6-1, 6-0 in 59 minutes. Women’s champion Angelique Kerber beat Kristyna Pliskova 6-0, 6-4 and will next play Coco Vandeweghe, who had a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win over Canadian Eugenie Bouchard. French Open champion Garbine Muguruza closed out Day 5 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Anastasia Sevastova.