Federer marches into last four

Defending champion Roger Federer completed yet another straight-sets victory at the Australian Open to set up a semi-final with sixth seed Andy Roddick.

The Wimbledon champion is yet to drop a set in Melbourne in his pursuit of a 10th career grand slam title, and had little trouble in seeing off seventh seed Tommy Robredo 6-3 7-6 (7/2) 7-5.

Continuing in the same impressive vein which saw him beat Serbian starlet Novak Djokovic on Sunday, Federer has now won 34 consecutive matches – one shy of his personal best.

Today’s victory marked a seventh triumph for Federer in seven meetings with Spaniard Robredo, and sets up a mouth-watering last-four battle with Roddick.

The big-hitting American admitted he found it hard to enjoy his comfortable victory over close friend Mardy Fish earlier on.

Roddick took less than 90 minutes to wrap up a convincing 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over his former flatmate.

And although ‘A-Rod’ was satisfied with his “flawless” performance in the Rod Laver Arena he kept any celebrations muted after the match.

“I tried my best to put our friendship to the back of my head before we went out there,” said Roddick. “It’s always difficult. It’s a weird, weird situation.

“Being that we’re close, I think it takes away a little bit of the elation because you’re not really solely focused on your side of the court. Maybe you’re a little bit more conscious of both sides.”

He added: “Today I played pretty flawless. I did everything pretty well.

“I’m guessing there’s going to be some stuff that Jimmy (Connors, coach) probably wants to work on.

“I feel pretty confident with most of my game. If I’m nitpicking, my first-serve percentage was a little low for the first two sets today. Besides that, I felt good.

“I felt great going in physically today.

“I felt fantastic after the five-setter the other day. I feel like I’m hitting the ball well. I feel good going into the semis.”

And rather than be intimidated by the prospect of facing Federer, Roddick believes there are reasons to be optimistic following recent meetings between the pair.

“For the past five or six months the gap has either been closing a little bit or he just hasn’t been extending it, which he’s probably done for the last three years or so,” Roddick said. “That’s a good thing.

“I’m going to go in with a shot. I like going up and competing against him, I really do. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.

“I feel like I’m in good form. I’d love to see where I match up. I’ve been a little bit more successful the last couple times I played him.

“I’m going to have to go with what I do well and try to attack him, at least make him come up with shots from uncomfortable positions.”

Fish admitted he had been well beaten by Roddick.

“He played well from the beginning,” he said. “I don’t know if I was flat. I tried changing things up a little bit. Maybe coming in off second (serves), you know, serving and volleying, staying back, trying to take the first ball. It didn’t really feel like anything was working.”

The only unseeded man in the round of 16, Fish had never progressed beyond the third round of a major before this event.

“It felt real different out there,” he said. “I never played on that court before. Never even walked out on that court before. It felt real different.

“You know, two breaks in each set before I even knew what was going on.”