Saturday 24 January 2015 07:56, UK
For the first time in 12 years, Roger Federer won't be featuring in the Australian Open semi-finals after suffering a shock 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) third-round exit to Italy's Andreas Seppi.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion had never lost to Seppi in 10 previous meetings, but made some uncharacteristic errors on Friday, with nine double-faults including one to surrender a mini break in the fourth-set tiebreaker.
Seppi, a 30-year-old Italian who had only advanced beyond the second round once at his nine previous trips to Melbourne Park, held his nerve despite some withering winners from Federer, who registered his 1,000th career match victory when he collected the Brisbane International title earlier this month to open the season.
Federer has won the Australian title four times, and had reached the semi-finals or better at Melbourne Park every year since winning the championship for the first time in 2004. He also had come back from losing the first two sets on nine previous occasions.
"I had to believe that I could win," said Seppi, who said he stuck out his racket and hoped for the best on match point a forehand that sailed past Federer and landed in the corner. "I was just trying to stay relaxed and just focusing on every shot and to breathe calm and don't get nervous.
"I think I did pretty well. Very well. I'm very happy I could manage the emotions."
Seppi equalled his best grand slam performance by reaching the last 16, where he will face Australia's young hope Nick Kyrgios, the world No 53.
Did you know... it was only the second time in his last 43 Grand Slam tournaments that the Swiss star failed to at least reach the fourth round.
There was no such trouble for British No 1 Andy Murray who came through against Portugal's Joao Sousa in straight sets to set up a clash against Grigor Dimitrov in the next round on Sunday.
Murray won 6-1 6-1 7-5 on Hisense Arena and will face the 10th seed in a repeat of their Wimbledon quarter-final which the Bulgarian won.
Murray, a three-time runner-up in Melbourne, was always in command and broke the Portuguese player's service seven times, while only dropping his serve once.
He hit 39 winners, only made 18 unforced errors and won 83 per cent of his first serves.
Did you know... Murray has now reached the round of 16 for the seventh consecutive year as he bids to track down an elusive Australian title after losing to Roger Federer in the 2010 final and Novak Djokovic in 2011 and 2013.
"I lost to Roger and to Novak a couple of times against some of the best ever players here and playing in front of a packed arena here is always fun," Murray said.
"Grigor has improved a lot over the last couple of years and it should be a fun match."
Seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych beat Viktor Troicki 6-4 6-3 6-4, needing eight match points to clinch it.
"It looks not very nice on the paper mostly, all of them on a big first serve," said Berdych, a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year and the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up. "It was a great save from him. I needed to wait one more game ... when the first chance came up, I served well and took it."
Did you know... It was the fifth straight year that Berdych has reached the round of 16 in Melbourne and will next play Bernard Tomic after he beat huge-serving Sam Groth in the battle of the Aussies.
Maria Sharapova blitzed her way past Zarina Diyaz for the loss of just two games. The Russian five-time Grand Slam champion crushed the 31st seed 6-1 6-1.
Sharapova blasted 22 winners against the 31st seed and sealed the match with an ace in a tick over an hour to set up a meeting against the US Open semi-finalist Peng Shuai.
Rafael Nadal, who suffered dizzy spells and stomach cramps in his five-set epic win over qualifier Tim Smyczek on Wednesday, was back to his best against Israel's Dudi Sela in the night match, winning 6-1 6-0 7-5 and will now face big-hitting South African Kevin Anderson for a place in the quarter-finals.
Eugenie Bouchard said she was not offended by being asked to "give a twirl" in an on-court interview, as long as male players were asked to flex their muscles.
Bouchard and Serena Williams were asked to spin around to show off their outfits earlier this week - Canadian Bouchard following her second-round win over Kiki Bertens.
It prompted an angry response on social media and accusations of sexism levelled at Tennis Australia commentator Ian Cohen, who made the request.
Twelve-time Grand Slam winner Billie-Jean King had her say on Twitter...
Speaking after her third-round win over France's Caroline Garcia, Bouchard said: "I stay out of this stuff, but I heard a little bit. My friends are texting me saying I dance and twirl well and stuff as jokes.
"I think it was just kind of funny. You know, I'm fine with being asked to twirl if they ask the guys to flex their muscles and stuff.
"Personally I'm not offended. I think it was an in-the-moment thing and it was funny. But it's just funny how it's taken a life of its own. I'm just going to try to focus on my tennis."
Last year Bouchard was asked by a different interviewer - former British player Sam Smith - who she would like to date if she could choose anyone in the world.
"They try to ask funny questions," the 20-year-old added on Friday. "It's entertaining, I guess. I don't mind it. People can think what they want about it, but I just answer how I want and do what I want. I'm fine with it."
