Roger Federer survives Tomas Berdych scare at the Australian Open

Roger Federer was forced to battle back from two sets down to see off Tomas Berdych and reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Federer, who had won every one of their previous seven meetings since losing to Berdych at the 2004 Olympics, took three hours 29 minutes to get past the 20th seed and set up a quarter-final with Juan Martin Del Potro.
At once stage Federer looked in danger of failing to reach the quarters at a grand slam for the first time since Roland Garros in 2004, but used all his experience to progress with a 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win.
The world No 2 got off to a poor start, dropping his serve in the opening game. He was broken again in the fifth when Berdych got back from 40-15 down to nail a cross-court forehand winner to take a 4-1 lead. But Berdych immediately dropped his own service game before Federer held for 4-3.

The next two games went with serve leaving Berdych to serve out the set which he did. The second set was much tighter but this time Federer got the early advantage, holding his serve to love then breaking his opponent in the next for a 2-0 lead.
But again Berdych rallied, breaking the Federer serve for the third time in the match and holding his own to level things 2-2. The remainder of the set went with serve, forcing the tie-break.
Berdych jumped out to a 3-1 lead but errors on the following two points allowed the Swiss back in and another backhand into the net squared it up 4-4. But Berdych made the breakthrough on the Federer serve and a simple volleyed winner on the next point put him two sets up.
Breaks of service littered the start of the third set but Federer made a vital breakthrough at 3-3 when Berdych, on serve, sent a backhand slice wide then smashed an easy volley into the net to give his opponent a 4-3 lead. It was all the three-time Australian Open champion needed and at 5-4 up he served for the set, clinching it with an ace.
The start of the fourth set produced yet another break of serve, this time Federer getting the early advantage. Berdych held his next service game comfortably and a couple of aces from Federer, who served well throughout the match, helped him to a 3-1 lead.
A superb drop-shot from Berdych helped him on his way to holding the fifth game before another ace and a cross-court winner kept Federer in front. Berdych had a medical time out for work on his left hamstring then pushed Federer hard in the next game before a winner to the corner and an ace had the second seed 5-3 up.
Berdych held his serve again and had three break points in the next game but couldn't capitalise as Federer clinched the set at the second opportunity. The world No 2 raced out to a 5-2 lead in the decider as Berdych started to falter.
Federer made a meal of serving for the match, wasting two match points, but he eventually sealed the win with two aces - his 19th and 20th of the match.
source:the london times.