Australian Open 2011: Roger Federer breezes into round four
Four-time titlist, Roger Federer extended his run at the Australian Open 2011 to round four after he beat number one Belgian, Xavier Malisse in straight sets.
Federer is making his eleventh straight appearance at the event with the hopes of winning his fifth Australian Open title. Should he succeed in his endeavour, he will become the only man in the Open Era to win the title five times beating Andre Agassi’s
record of four wins.
Having enjoyed a straight sets win over Lukas Lacko in the first round, Federer battled past Gilles Simon in the second round to set up a third round clash with Malisse.
Meeting the Belgian for the ninth time, Federer extended his lead in the career head-to-head record to eight straight wins. Malisse has only beaten the Swiss once in their first meeting in 1999.
Breaking serve in the first game, Federer rushed into a 4-0 lead before securing a 6-3 win in the first set. In the second set, Federer fought back from a 1-3 trail to secure a 6-3 win. Having broken Malisse’s spirits, Federer sailed into a 5-0 lead in the
third set winning ten consecutive games before wrapping up his straight sets win with a breadstick victory.
The Swiss maestro struck six aces and lost only 32 of 84 points on service in almost two hours to ensure his survival at the event.
Extending his win loss record at the event to 57-7, Federer set a new record at the Australian Open as he overtook Stefan Edberg’s previous record of 56-10.
The Swiss maestro will meet Tommy Robredo in the fourth round.
Robredo was able to secure a four set win over Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky. Surviving an early set scare, Robredo bounced back to win next three sets in order to move into the next round.
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