Sports

Ice-cool Federer roars into Australian Open quarter-finals

The defending champion swatted aside one-time training partner Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to make the last eight for an incredible 14th time

By AFP
January 22, 2018

MELBOURNE: Roger Federer roared into the Australian Open quarter-finals with Tomas Berdych Monday as former champion Angelique Kerber stuttered into an enticing clash with Madison Keys.

The defending champion swatted aside one-time training partner Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to make the last eight for an incredible 14th time.

The Swiss maestro, 36, has made at least the last eight every year since 2004, barring a hiccup in 2015.

“He played very well,” the 19-time Grand Slam champion said of the Hungarian. “You needed to have quick ideas and execute well today.”

Second seed Federer will now play fellow veteran Berdych, a semi-finalist in 2014 and 2015 at his most successful major, who demolished Italy´s Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

The 32-year-old, who is on his way back from back problems, lost to the five-time Australian champion in the third round last year and the odds are heavily stacked again him.

Of the 13 quarter-finals Federer has contested in Melbourne, he has won the lot.