Just like the last eight years, Roger Federer has advanced to the Australian Open semifinals. The third-ranked player in the world had little trouble downing Juan Martin Del Potro, winning their quarterfinal match on Day 9 in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
"We have played some big matches against each other," Federer said after the match. "So just knowing how well he's been playing as of late, I was just hoping that I would get off a good start. But I was able to mix it up well and control the ball, and right away sort of felt confident, which then sort of helped me to use all aspects of my game.
"Then it got tough with the shadow creeping in, and I knew that was going to happen rather sooner than later just because the matches before me took some time. I knew it was going to happen eventually. That's why the second set, serving out the second set was key for me. You know, get through that tough patch, and then in the third it was a bit more free swinging for me."
Federer needed less than two hours to win -- and just 31 minutes in the third set -- a far cry from his five-set loss to Del Potro in the 2009 U.S. Open final. He won 89 percent of his first serves to Del Potro's 57 percent.
"I'm really happy with my game," he said after the match. "That's what I'm most concerned with, to be quite honest. I'm moving well. I'm serving well. I'm hitting the ball clean. Today I thought, you know, in a very hot day with, you know, fast conditions, I was able to control the ball."
With the win, Federer became the first on the men's side to advance to the semifinals and will play the winner of Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych. He also passed a couple of milestones, playing in his 1,000th career match and winning his 2,000 career set.
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