AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Venue: Melbourne Park Date: 18-31 January
BBC coverage: Every Murray match live on BBC 1 or 2
Daily from 0800 GMT: live on BBC Red Button/website, 5 Live sports extra
Daily from 0000 GMT: text commentary on BBC Sport website

Federer won the last of his Australian Open titles in 2007

Roger Federer marched into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a resounding 6-2 6-3 6-4 victory over Lleyton Hewitt in Melbourne.

Despite the vociferous home support for Hewitt, world number one Federer eased through the first two sets in style.

Hewitt provided more resistance in the third, breaking the three-time champion before Federer held on to seal the win.

The Swiss will face sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko, who fought off Fernando Verdasco in five dramatic sets.

The Russian had to withstand a stern second-half fightback from the ninth seed to clinch a 6-2 7-5 4-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 2008 finalist, also needed five sets to earn his quarter-final place following a spirited display from world number 26 Nicolas Almagro in a 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-7 9-7 thriller.

The world number 10 will now face third seed Novak Djokovic after the Serb thumped world number 86 Lukasz Kubot 6-1 6-2 7-5.

MEN'S QUARTER-FINALS Federer v Davydenko Djokovic v Tsonga Roddick v Cilic Nadal v Murray

Former world number one Hewitt faced a momentous task having never beaten Federer in their 15 previous matches.

And true to form, the Swiss dominated from the very first game as he raced to a two-set lead within the hour.

Although Hewitt managed to break back in the eighth game of the third set, the 15-time Grand Slam champion simply broke again before closing out the win.

"He played special tennis. Tonight was as good as the US Open final in 2004," said 28-year-old Hewitt, referring to his 6-0 7-6 6-0 defeat at Flushing Meadows.

"I prepared exactly the way that I wanted to prepare for the Australian summer. Gave 100% every time. But I ran into the best player at the moment, I would say."

Federer described his performance level as "very high".

"I hardly made any unforced errors. If there were some, they were at moments I can live with," stated the top seed.

"I was really able to press on the offensive, serve well when I had to, and I moved well as well. Overall I'm extremely happy."

Federer's win sets up an intriguing encounter against Davydenko, who has beaten the world number one in their previous two encounters.

"He (Davydenko) played very well the last couple of times we've played," said Federer.

"I've always had tough ones against him. He's really picked up his game, he used to have issues on serve but now that's gone.

"I just hope I can get the better of him in five-set play."

Davydenko was the form man coming into the tournament and dropped only 17 games in his first three matches, but hit a hitch against last year's semi-finalist Verdasco.

606: DEBATE The Federer that turned up in the last two meetings against Davydenko will not be making an appearance. erictheblueuk

"It was not so easy for me beginning the fifth set. But it's a good fighting win for me," said Davydenko.

"Mentally, I'm still strong. I don't know if I can win here, but I'm feeling good about my tennis right now."

Tsonga set up a repeat of the 2008 final against Djokovic - but only after withstanding a gutsy fightback from 26th seed Almagro.

The 24-year-old Frenchman had never played a five-set match before, and looked to set to avoid going the distance again when he wrapped up the first two sets with a single break in each.

But he threw away the third with a double fault at set point down, and two unforced errors gave Almagro the fourth on a tie-break.

Tsonga served first in the decider and that proved crucial, the 10th seed charging the net to earn a break point at 8-7 before smacking a final forehand winner after three-and-a-half hours.

"It was good. Good to win in five sets, first time for me," said Tsonga.

Of facing Djokovic again, he added: "I have to recover and I will be... I think I will be ready for that. Against him, stay aggressive, very aggressive, and give everything."

Djokovic raced through the first two sets in an hour and although Kubot, the first Polish player to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam since 1982, put up sterner resistance in the third, the Pole double-faulted in game 11 of the third set.

"I'm aware the matches will get more difficult throughout this week, so I'm ready for it," said Djokovic.

"Physically I've been putting in a lot of work and intensity into the practice and it's paying off right now, I feel great."

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