Federer in different class to join Roddick in quarters

Robert Smith

TENNIS: Roger Federer sent a shiver through his Australian Open rivals with another straight sets demolition job to join Andy Roddick, Tommy Robredo and Mardy Fish in the quarter-finals Sunday.

The sublime world number one whipped rising Serbian youngster Novak Djokovic 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 to storm in the last eight against Spaniard Robredo without dropping a set.

Sixth seed Roddick set up an all-American quarter-final against Fish after putting away net-charging Croatian Mario Ancic, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in just over three hours.

Robredo, seeded seventh, claimed his first Australian quarter-final in seven attempts after a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win over Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Fish, who grew up with Roddick during high school and shared a house during their junior tennis days, also continued in winning style as the tournament enters its second week.

The unseeded American, who is fighting back after two operations on a career-threatening injured left wrist a year ago, got past Spanish 16th seed David Ferrer 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 7-5.

Federer was in irresistible touch as he reeled off victory in 1hr 50min over the 19-year-old Djokovic, hailed as one of the future stars of men's tennis.

The Swiss star controlled the points and had the 15th-ranked Djokovic screaming out in exasperation as he produced some sublime tennis.

The win extended his unbeaten streak to 33 matches as he closes in on his personal record unconquered run of 35 matches set in 2005.

"I feel good physically. It's straight sets every time, so plus a day off I couldn't be better," Federer said.

It is Roddick's fourth quarter-final appearance at the Australian Open and places him just a match away from a potential semi-final with his great nemesis Federer. His greater consistency and patience was the key to beating the aggressive Ancic.

He broke the Croat's serve five times and dropped his own three times. Ancic out-hit Roddick 60 winners to 52, but Roddick's committed far less errors, 19 to Ancic's 33.

"I felt pretty odd out there. I felt that I was hitting the ball through the court pretty good and he was stepping in," he said.

"I think we were both trying to play the same sort of game and it went in momentum shifts." In third round matches carried over from Saturday's rain suspensions, Czech 13th seed Tomas Berdych overcame Russian Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 and will face third seed Nikolay Davydenko on Monday.

German Tommy Haas, a two-time semi-finalist here, knocked out compatriot Florian Mayer 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-3 to set up a fourth round match with Argentina's eighth seed David Nalbandian.

MELBOURNE: Monday