World number two and Swiss maestro Roger Federer eased into the Australian Open quarter-final even as he breezed past training partner Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-6, 2-2 to make the last eight for the 14th time. The Swiss maestro, 36, has made at least the last eight every year since 2004, bar 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.
Meanwhile, Simona Halep eased into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open Monday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Naomi Osaka of Japan in 81 minutes to set up an enticing clash with American, Madison Keys.
Six-times champion Navok Djokovic bowed out the tournament, knocked out by South Korean Chung Hyeon, who claimed a stunning 7-6(4), 7-5, 7-6(3) victory against the Serbain on Monday.
