Roger Federer pauses rising star Bernard Tomic in the fourth round – Australian Open 2012
World number three, Roger Federer, halted the booming star, Bernard Tomic, in straight sets at the Australian Open 2012 on Sunday. He registered a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over the local teenager to progress at the quarter-finals of this Grand Slam event for the ninth straight year.
Four-time former Australian Open titlist, Federer, outgunned the local number one in straight sets in their second meeting. He not only kept his winning record against the Aussie but also stayed on course to regain his number one spot at the South African Airways ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Rankings.
Swiss number one confidently entered the Rod Laver Arena and held his serve in the second game to level the scores at 1-1. Later he maintained consistency in his game and cashed in the only break opportunity in the ninth game, sealing the set by winning six games to four.
30-year-old kept momentum rolling into the second set and took a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serve. In spite of losing his serve in the sixth game, Federer broke the Aussie’s serve again in the following game and clinched the set with a 6-2 score line.
Fan favourite, Federer, maintained his intensity in the last set and earned the desiderated break in the opening game. He swiped in entire serves and after converting another break chance to his advantage in the fifth game, the Swiss bagged the set with a 6-2 win.
“I played him before, so it wasn’t like I played him for the very first time,” said the self-assured Swiss after the match. “But obviously I knew that points were going to be played differently than the match he played with Dolgopolov. So I figured he was going to play a bit for aggressive, that it was going to be a tough match, which it was, I thought."
Next up for the 16 times Grand Slam titlist is the 11th seed, Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina. The Argentinean crushed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany with a breadstick to set-up this epic battle. He downed the German for the fifth time in their fifth outings with seven breaks of serve, registering a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 score line.
"Roger is the best tennis player in history, and of course he's the favourite," Del Potro said about his upcoming match. "I remember three years ago I played in the quarters against him and I only won three games."
Federer and Del Potro clashed each other at this tournament three years ago when Federer outclassed the Argentinean with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 success. However later that year, Del Potro edged the Swiss master in a five set thriller at the US Open title-round.
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