Melbourne: Roger Federer was a strictly nocturnal beast throughout the first week of the Australian Open but proved just as effective with the sun on his back as he sauntered into the quarterfinals for the 14th time here Monday. The defending champion provided a tennis masterclass to World No.80 Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in his 6-4, 7-6(7-3), 6-2 win.
Meanwhile six-time champion here, Novak Djokovic crashed out, a 6-7(4-7), 5-7, 6-7(5-7) loser to Korean Hyeon Chung. The South Korean has never been this deep into any Grand Slam, but Monday was the better and fitter player overall. Djokovic never appeared 100 per cent fit and Chung took full advantage of it to end the 14th seed’s campaign in the 214-minute encounter.
It was also the end of the road for fifth seed Dominic Thiem. Journeyman Tennys Sandgren’s dream continued as the American defeated the Austrian 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(7-4), 6-7(7-9), 6-3 to make a maiden entry into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. Former top 10 player Tomas Berdych meanwhile set up a quarterfinal date with Federer defeating Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
After his earlier-than-usual finish, Federer, the 36-year-old world number two said he might even be able to make the most of a night off and take his wife Mirka out for dinner.
“I was considering sunglasses and a towel for the beach but, no, the only thing is the racket strings are a bit tighter but it’s not crazy hot today,” Federer told former champion Jim Courier in a knockabout post-match chat on court. “We might go out for dinner tonight but Mirka has left already – she must have other plans!”
Federer is yet to drop a set and did not even face a breakpoint against the 25-year-old Fucsovics, who arrived here without a Grand Slam main draw victory to his name. And as expected, Federer romped home easily.
Meanwhile, the 97th-ranked Tennessee native Sandgren captured the decisive break against the Austrian in the sixth game of the final set and sealed the match in style with a thumping forehand winner from the baseline at a raucous Hisense Arena.
The 26-year-old threw down his racket and raised his arms aloft as the terraces roared in disbelief at the American’s astonishing achievement. He became only the second man in the last 20 years to reach the quarter-finals on debut at Melbourne Park.
Indian challenge ends
Melbourne: Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan lost their respective men’s doubles third round matches in the Australian Open here Monday. Bopanna and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France lost to Oliver Marach of Austria and Croatia’s Mate Pavic 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 3-6 while Sharan and Rajeev Ram from the USA suffered a 6-3, 6-7(4-7), 4-6 defeat at the hands of Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Brazil’s Marcelo Melo.
Agencies
