Roger Federer has put on another masterful display on a court he has come to dominate in recent years, knocking out the ever-dangerous Marat Safin in straight sets to move through to the fourth round of Australian Open 2009.
Billed as the match of the tournament so far – and a rematch of their famous semifinal at Australian Open 2005 which Safin clinched 9-7 in the fifth set – the encounter didn’t live up to the hype, with the world No. 2 progressing comfortably.
The only time Federer was truly challenged was in the tight third set, but three-time Open champion hung tough to triumph 6-3 6-2 7-6(5), and said it was a pleasing performance.
“I played well from the start. I didn’t give him a whole a lot. I don’t think I had to save break point, which I guess is great against such a good returner like Marat can be,” he said.
The third set was a serving exhibition, with both men routinely holding and neither facing a break point throughout. The ensuing tiebreak was an absorbing affair, with the Swiss gaining an early mini-break to lead 4-1 only for Safin to come charging back with four consecutive points.
Excellent serving saw Federer leapfrog his opponent to reach match point, which he snared with a sublime running backhand winner up the line.
The Swiss said he took advantage of Safin’s erratic play.
“I understand that I didn’t play Marat in his prime,” he said. “Still, there were moments where he did play very well like, I would say, maybe in the third set, I think he played great.
“[But] he just couldn’t keep it up for the entire three sets … For me, it was a rock-solid match. I came up with some good shots when I had to, and one them was the match point. I’m very happy about it.”
Earlier in the match, Federer gained the upper hand with the first break in the seventh game of the opening set. He served it out with a minimum of fuss, and broke again in the fifth game of the second to establish firm control over the match.
Federer was in devastating form on his forehand – particularly when running wide to hit it – smacking 11 winners off that wing for the night.
Safin, meanwhile, seemed a tortured soul. His exasperated gesticulations, dark mutterings and racquet-flinging – trademarks the tennis public find somewhat endearing – were on display as he felt the match slipping away.
Errors on important points did not help the Russian’s cause, and soon Federer scored his second break of the set – appropriately with a running forehand winner.
Shortly after he held serve to take a commanding two-sets-to-love lead, before extending his head-to-head against Safin to 10 wins from 12 matches less than an hour later.
Federer will next play 20th seed Tomas Berdych after the Czech knocked out fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in four sets earlier in the evening.
Quick facts
Federer won 85 per cent of points when his first serve was successful
Safin had 33 winners and the same number of unforced errors; Federer recorded 26 winners and 28 unforced errors
Federer capitalised on three of his four break point chances; the Swiss never faced a break point on his own serve in the match
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