Share

Federer outclasses Davydenko

Melbourne - Roger Federer tossed aside old rival Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets to set up a third round showdown with brash young Australian Bernard Tomic at the Australian Open on Thursday.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion had few problems with the quirky, 40th-ranked Russian, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in 1hr 59min in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.

The win set up what should be the first tournament highlight on Saturday, in an intriguing match-up between the four-time Australian Open champion and the confident, 20-year-old Tomic.

GALLERY: Babes of the Australian Open

"It's a similar situation to last year, it's just a round earlier, I guess," Federer said, referring to last year's straight-sets win over Tomic in the fourth round.

"It's nice to see Bernard playing better again, he had a rough end to the season last year, so he's had a wonderful start this year and I hope he can keep it and get back to a big ranking."

Federer stretched his record over Davydenko to 18-2 with a dominant performance containing three service breaks from 13 break point opportunities.

Federer made more unforced errors in his latest match, 42 to his 35 winners, but he was always in command of the Russian, whose last win against the 31-year-old Swiss legend was three years ago at Doha.

The world number two is on a run of 34 straight Grand Slam quarter-finals and is on course to face defending champion Novak Djokovic in the final next week.

Federer is bidding to become only the second man in the history of the Australian Open to win the title a fifth time, following Australian Roy Emerson's six victories in the 1960s.

Federer soon had Davydenko under pressure, breaking the Russian's service in the sixth game, and he cruised to the opening set in 42 minutes.

He followed up with a service break in Davydenko's opening service game to take the second set in a similar time and broke him again in the first game of the final set to steam home.

Results from day four of the Australian Open on Thursday:

Women's singles

Second round

Victoria Azarenka (BLR x1) bt Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) 6-1, 6-0
Ayumi Morita (JPN) bt Annika Beck (GER) 6-2, 6-0
Roberta Vinci (ITA x16) bt Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 6-3, 6-2
Maria Kirilenko (RUS x14) bt Peng Shuai (CHN) 7-5, 6-2
Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA x21) 6-4, 6-2
Serena Williams (USA x3) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 6-2, 6-0
Jamie Hampton (USA) bt Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 6-1, 6-2
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) bt Daria Gavrilova (RUS) 7-5, 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Hsieh Su-wei (TPE x26) 6-2, 6-1
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL x20) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 7-6 (10/8), 7-5
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x10) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-1, 6-4
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) bt Shahar Peer (ISR) 6-2, 7-5
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE x17) 7-5, 7-5
Sloane Stephens (USA x29) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-4, 6-3
Laura Robson (GBR) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x8) 2-6, 6-3, 11-9

Men's singles

Second round


Ricardas Berankis (LTU) bt Florian Mayer (GER x25) 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x17) bt Amir Weintraub (ISR) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x7) bt Go Soeda (JPN) 6-3, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3
Andy Murray (GBR x3) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4
Milos Raonic (CAN x13) bt Lukas Rosol (CZE) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-3
Marin Cilic (CRO x12) bt Rajeev Ram (USA) 7-5, 6-2, 6-4
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) bt James Duckworth (AUS) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 10-8
Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8)
Andreas Seppi (ITA x21) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-2
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x6) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Lu Yen-hsun (TPE) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 0-6, 6-1, 8-6
Gilles Simon (FRA x14) bt Jesse Levine (CAN) 2-m6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP x30) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Richard Gasquet (FRA x9) bt Alejandro Falla (COL) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Ivan Dodig (CRO) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1126 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1298 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 1993 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE