Federer reaches his 39th Grand Slam semifinal

Roger Federer raced into his 47th Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-2 6-1 6-4 Australian Open fourth roundwin over David Goffin.

It was an ominous performance from the 16 time Grand Slam champion who reached the last eight with a 6-2 6-1 6-4 victory over his Belgiun opponet.

Federer, who achieved his 300th Grand Slam career win after defeating Maria Sharapova’s former boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov, only needed 88 minutes to finish off Goffin, hitting 39 winners including seven aces. Berdych has got at least 57 percent of his first serves in play in his last three matches and has won at least 73 percent of his first serve points overall.

What it means: Federer can now kick up his heels and await the Novak Djokovic-Kei Nishikori quarterfinal, the victor of which he will face in the semifinals.

Roger Federer is braced for his showdown with Tomas Berdych after comfortably advancing to the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday. While still a good shot in his arsenal, it is the side of Federer’s game that is most likely to break down when placed under pressure.

“I’m just having to believe in myself that all the work that I’ve done, it’s the right one, and I’m strong enough and competitive enough to also beat those guys”.

Champion Novak Djokovic put down the threat of a French revolution at Melbourne Park by fending off Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals. One suggested he should “play on the lines”, while the other cleverly advised, “you should look that way and then play the other”.

The Swiss four-times champion was in sublime form as he won 6-2 6-1 6-4 to progress to the last eight Down Under.

“I’m very, very happy. I know some people might not like it. I like it. He’s got a lot of personality”, the Swiss great said.

Intent on avenging his shock semi-final loss to Nishikori at the 2014 US Open, Djokovic registered the only break of the first set in the sixth game, then repeated the dose in the first game of the second to have his opponent rattled.

Federer said: “Tomas has caused me a lot of problems over the years and it’s a pleasure playing against him”.

“Yeah, maybe. The longer the match goes, maybe I have slightly bigger chance”, Djokovic said.

“I’m pleased with the way I handled the match”, Berdych said, reports Sportal.

“I think he’s still on a pretty high level, playing great tennis”. I know very well how good he plays, especially in the later stages of a major event.

There was no let up in the second set for Goffin as Federer sealed an early break once again, moving 3-1 ahead with a brilliant forehand into the corner.

“That will be a good match, I have nothing to lose”.

With her merciless 17-0 dominance ever since, you might even get the impression that Williams is the kind of person who holds a grudge.