Maestro Federer teaches up-and-comer Tomic a lesson

The bravado he built by holding serve for 76 games dissolved in six points. Second-seeded Roger Federer was on the other side of the net, and he gave 20-year-old Bernard Tomic an instant reality check.

‘‘I elected to serve, considering I was serving really well the last few weeks,’’ Tomic said. ‘‘Yeah . . . that first service game was important. I lost it. Then I was like, ‘Oh, no!’ ’’

The last Aussie exited the Australian Open late Saturday in Melbourne, with Federer beating Tomic 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 in the third round.

‘‘It’s not my favorite part of the job, beating up on the hometown heroes,’’ Federer told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena, where he has won four of his 17 Grand Slam titles. ‘‘But it’s nice that you guys sort of invite me back every year.’’

Federer earned his 250th victory at a Grand Slam event, and the milestone was sprinkled with some of his classic volleys and trademark one-handed backhands. He will face 13th-seeded Milos Raonic, who earned a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4 victory against Philipp Kohlschreiber in a battle of big servers, in the fourth round.

In men’s fourth-round action early Sunday, fourth-seeded David Ferrer drubbed 16th-seeded Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-1, 6-4, and 10thseeded Nicolas Almagro was leading 6-2, 5-1 when eighth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic retired with an injury to his left foot to set up a quarterfinal showdown.

In women’s fourth-round play early Sunday, second-seeded Maria Sharapova rolled past Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-0 to earn a quarterfinal berth opposite Ekaterina Makarova, who upset fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-4.