Roger Federer is through to his 12th Australian Open semi-final in 13 years after beating Tomas Berdych 7-6 6-2 6-4.
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An error-riddled Novak Djokovic has advanced to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the 27th consecutive time, persevering over a dogged and determined Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in a 4-hour, 32-minute match at Melbourne Park.
The wager I like here, though, revolves around the first set being a quick one: in all seven of their meetings, the opener has never been closer than 6-4, with three ending 6-1, two 6-2 and one apiece at 6-3 and 6-4.
Novak Djokovic has won every tournament he has competed in since his loss in Cincinnati past year, winning the US Open, Paris, Shanghai, and the World Tour finals along the way. I had to come out with fire and intensity.
Friedsam was given a time warning and then a point penalty in her last service game, conceding the game to Radwanska and a 6-5 lead.
In 2009, Berdych was two sets up against Federer in the fourth round and heading to victory, but he handed over a break at a crucial point in the third set when he swept an unmissable volley into the net.
“I think now, if he (Kyrgios) wants to break into the top 20, it’s that one or two per cent that I’m talking about where having a coach, not necessarily all the time but at certain times throughout the year, that’s where he might find some good gains”.
Sharapova broke to open the match but Williams held in the third game and broke back to level at 2-2.
So, lucky Australia. That the Federer-Djokovic rivalry is poised at 22 matches apiece adds a little more spice, and Djokovic has not yet headed Federer.
The match got off to a furious start at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, with the first five games lasting a total of just 15 minutes before Nishikori surrendered his serve with a double fault trailing 3-2.
Federer will now play sixth-seed Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals and he thought the Czech would like the court. He has not lost a match against a top-10 player not named Djokovic since the quarterfinals of the French Open (Stan Wawrinka) the past May. The second set, when I did have the break, I was able to roll with it. Yeah, I think the first set was tough.
“He was just too good today”.
Sharapova had a career-high 21 aces in her previous win against No. 12 Belinda Bencic. Of which the Swiss player has won all the three times.
Belgium’s David Goffin reacts during his fourth round match against Switzerland’s Roger Fede …
“He’s a great champion, someone I have lots of respect for and we’re going to have a good match, I’m sure”.
“It’s motivating because she’s at a different level”, Sharapova said.
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“He always makes you play your best”. In 2014 he stretched Federer to three sets in the final, and he did the same against Djokovic in the 2015 semis before succumbing.
