Australian Open: Federer puts on a masterclass

MELBOURNE: There were moments in Roger Federer's third round win over Czech Tomas Berdych - returns, rallies, passing shots and delicate drops - that stood out like monuments. On one such point, early in the second set, the 35-year-old's wrist dropped a touch, his racket strings caressed the ball and it sailed across the court and over the net, a sweet whisper of a drop shot that fell gently into the night.The game's numero uno, after who this bustling facility is named, applauded in the stands. Rod Laver's face instantly broke into a smile. Appreciation perhaps, or was it recognition?
Federer won 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in a 90-minute exhibition of brutal beauty. Berdych sent down 13 aces, most of them over 200 kmph, and Federer had eight, that was the only piece of winning statistic that the 31-year-old owned on the night. The four-time winner here had 40 winners and 17 unforced errors, but more importantly he won 95 per cent of the points on his first serve and didn't face a single breakpoint in this Australian Open third-round clash.
Berdych, 31, who had last beaten Federer some four years ago in the semifinals in Dubai, didn't have much to show in their 23rd meeting.
The Czech couldn't quite say if in their latest clash he had seen the best of his 35-year-old opponent, he simply nailed it at 'very impressive'. “I was on the backfoot every single time, he showed how to play two-shot tennis,” a visibly gutted Berdych said, adding that he rather have been in 'the stands watching him than playing against Roger'.
Federer said he had no expectations coming into the match. “I always felt that against better ranked players you lift your game naturally, you feed off each other, today I did, he didn't. I've worked very hard in practice, but I'm not the king of practice. I played tons of sets. It was a great mental test to see if I could stay in the match, point for point, keep rolling. I was able to do that. That's where I'm just really happy, that I was able to deliver from the baseline. I felt worlds better than in the first couple of rounds.”
The Swiss 17th seed, who has won here four times, will play Japan's fifth-seed Kei Nishikori in the fourth round on Sunday. “I'm a big fan of Kei,” Federer said. “He has perhaps the best backhand in tennis, I love how he can crush it down the line or crosscourt. He's got wonderful second serve returns. He's fast on his legs, strong in his mind. I know how tough he is as the match goes along. He finds his range and his rhythm, he's tough to stop.”
Federer hoped to show the form of Friday night in the next round which he called 'a totally different match'. “I'll be ready, there's no turning back from here. He's definitely played better and more tennis in recent months,” Federer said.
In other men's third round matches: World No.1 Andy Murray beat American Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 Fourth-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka battled past Serbia's Viktor Troicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).