Roger Federer celebrated Australia Day with a 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-4 win over Tomas Berdych during their quarterfinals match at the Australian Open. The third seed was broken in early games but managed to break back in the following game. Federer leveled up his game every time he faced pressure and used all his tools to outduel Berdych. He will face Novak Djokovic, who beat Kei Nishikori easily, in the semifinals.
Federer takes the first set
Under the open roof at Rod Laver Arena, Federer and sixth seed Berdych started their quarterfinal match with holding their service games. But it didn’t take long for Berdych to get a break. In the third game, up 30-15, the Czech came to the net and hit a volley winner to get two break points. After Berdych had wasted the first break point with a backhand unforced error, he forced Federer to make a backhand error on the next point to convert the break point and go up 2-1. However, Federer responded by breaking Berdych’s serve in the next game. The Swiss got two break points with a forehand winner at 30-15. Federer got the break back in his second break point as Berdych hit a forehand long.
Both players settled after the exchange of breaks, although Berdych had one shaky service game where he needed to play five deuce games before managing to hold. Down 4-5, Berdych hit a volley error at 30-all to give Federer set point. The Swiss wasted as he proceeded to dump a forehand into the net in the next point. Berdych managed to hold his service game at the end to tie the set at 5-all. Both would hold their following service games and force a tiebreak.
Berdych and Federer have played 12 tiebreaks, both winning six each. Federer got the mini break after Berdych sent a slice forehand long. The Swiss went up 4-1 after hitting an impressive backhand winner down the line. Federer carried the break to go up 6-3. After Berdych had hit a forehand passing shot to save one set point, the Czech hit a forehand that clipped the net and ricocheted out as Federer won the tiebreak and the first set 7-6(4) in a span of one hour.
Early break benefits Federer to capture the second set
Federer didn’t waste any time as he started the second set breaking Berdych’s serve. The Czech dumped a volley into the net at 30-all to give the Swiss a break point. Federer converted the break point with a beautiful backhand passing shot. He would consolidate the break to go up 2-0.
The Swiss hung on to the break, serving his games comfortably. Up 4-2, Federer got another break point from a unforced Berdych forehand error. In the next point, the Swiss hit a volley winner to go up a double break and would serve for the set in the following game. Federer didn’t have any problems closing the second set as he went up two sets to love after one hour and 33 minutes.
After the second set, Federer was serving better than Berdych with 66 percent of his first serves were in compared to 51 percent of the Czech. The Swiss had won 87 percent of those first serves while Berdych got 72 percent. Both players almost hit the same unforced errors however Federer has more winners, 32, than Berdych’s 19 winners.
Federer gets an important break to win third set
In the third set, Berdych got the break in the second game. At deuce, Federer committed a backhand forced error to give Czech the break point, which he converted by hitting a backhand winner. However, Federer got the break back in the following game. At 30-all, Berdych hit a backhand unforced error to give Federer the break point. The Czech hit a double fault to give the break back.
Both players held service in the next couple of games. In the ninth game, tied 4-all, Federer got hold of a break point with a backhand winner in the third deuce game of the match. The Swiss got the break to go up 5-4 after Berdych hit a forehand unforced error. In the next game, Federer didn't have any problems closing out the set and the match to advance to the semifinals of this 2016 Australian Open.
Federer on his quarterfinals match
It was a routine match for Federer, as he won the match in less than two hours and 26 minutes. He smacked 48 winners and 26 unforced errors. He also hit 69 percent of his first serves, winning 83 percent of those that did hit.
"I think I played well overall. You know, wished maybe I didn't get a break here or there. At the same time, Tomas was pushing for it, he was looking for it, so clearly it can happen," Federer said. "I think the first set was tough. It was the one that took the longest, had the most importance of all the sets, in my opinion. It was definitely key to the rest of the match because I think it maybe might've taken some energy out of Tomas."
"I do feel really good at the net since a few years now. It's where it all sort of started for me when I came on tour. I know how it works up there," he noted. "I still think there's room of improvement. Every player manages to defend or pass it differently."
Federer will face Novak Djokovic next for the 45th time in his career. Both players have 22 wins apiece in their previous 44 matches.