Roger Federer to Play French Open for 1st Time Since 2015 After Aussie Open Loss
Jan 20, 2019
Switzerland's Roger Federer gestures to the crowd as he leaves the court after his defeat against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles match on day seven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2019. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
Federer has skipped the clay court season for the last two years in order to remain fresh for Wimbledon, having missed the 2016 French Open through a back injury.
Tsitsipas came from behind to beat two-time defending champion Federer 6-7 (11), 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (5) in their fourth-round clash in Melbourne.
Despite making five finals at Roland Garros, the French Open has been Federer's least successful Grand Slam, as he has won just one of his 20 major titles there.
As such, it was the obvious surface to skip as managing his body became more important to ensure he remained competitive throughout the season.
It proved an effective tactic in 2017, when he won the most recent of his eight Wimbledon titles after sitting out the clay season.
Christopher Clarey of theNew York Timesand sports journalist Uche Amako questioned his decision to return to the French Open this year, given the impact it could have on his performance at Wimbledon:
Post-defeat, Federer says he intends to play on clay again this season after a two-year break. Good news for fans at Roland Garros, who haven't seen him since 2015, but not sure that's good news for Federer's prospects on grass.
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 20, 2019
Roger Federer confirms he will play on the clay this year after skipping it the past two years. Strange that he has decided to return given his age & strain on his body. He has very little chance of winning the French Open. So why not rest & prepare for Wimbledon again? #AusOpen
His decision to return there is perhaps an indication of an intent to retire this year, with the appearance in Paris potentially serving as one last chance to add to his single French Open title and bid farewell to Roland Garros.
Whether it is or not, those in Paris will be delighted to have the chance to witness him live once again.
Australian Open 2019: Roger Federer, Angelique Kerber's Losses Highlight Sunday
Jan 20, 2019
Switzerland's Roger Federer waves to the crowd as he leaves the court after his defeat against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles match on day seven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2019. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
Roger Federer and Angelique Kerber exited the 2019 Australian Open on Sunday after they suffered upsets at the hands of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Danielle Collins, respectively.
Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat Federer in a hard-fought four-set thriller, while Collins eased to a surprisingly straightforward win over No. 2 seed Kerber.
Sloane Stephens also fell victim to an upset, allowing Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to come back to win in three sets.
Rafael Nadal had no problems getting past Tomas Berdych in straight sets in his outing, but Marin Cilic and Grigor Dimitrov saw their campaigns come to an end at the hands of Roberto Bautista Agut and Frances Tiafoe, respectively.
Ash Barty continued her run as she came from behind to beat Maria Sharapova in three sets, while No. 8 Petra Kvitova made short work of Amanda Anisimova.
Men's Singles Results
(2) Rafael Nadal bt. Tomas Berdych, 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
When Tsitsipas took eight minutes and had to save two break points to hold serve in the first game of his match with Federer, it seemed the 20-year-old would be in for a long evening at the hands of the defending champion.
Indeed he was, but it was because he gave as good as he got during their three hours and 45 minutes on court.
Federer had 12 opportunities to break Tsitsipas over the course of the match, including four set points in the second set, but failed to take a single one.
Unlike his opponent, opportunities to break were few and far between for Tsitsipas, but when they did he was far more clinical in taking them, which ultimately proved the difference.
Federer conceded Tsitsipas had been the better player, per Metro's George Bellshaw:
Breaks were much easier to come by in Stephens' clash with Pavlyuchenkova. The American broke the Russian four times, but lost seven games on her own serve.
There aren't many players still representing the United States in Melbourne this year:
SLOANE GOES DOWN!
The No. 5 seed American loses to unseeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets.
Serena Williams, Madison Keys and Danielle Collins are the last American women standing. pic.twitter.com/SNLLUd0GUl
Unexpectedly, Collins is still flying the flag for the Americans. She swept Kerber aside with remarkable ease, embarrassing the three-time Grand Slam winner with a bagel in the opening set:
Bagel! A real shocker here as Danielle Collins wins the first set against Angelique Kerber 6-0 inside 20 minutes! #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/qJkDZOnYUq
The second set went by almost as quickly, as Collins continued her domination of the proceedings.
The American had never won a match at a Grand Slam prior to this campaign, but she'll now compete in the quarter-finals in Melbourne having beaten three seeded players in her first four matches.
Like Collins, Nadal barely broke a sweat in his match on Sunday, and his first set was just as one-sided as Collins' had been, per Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times:
Nadal bagels Berdych. Really did not see that coming with Berdych's play in the first week, but Rafa has been impressive. #AusOpen
The Spaniard won 12 of the first 13 games before Berdych managed to make it anything resembling a contest, but the third-set tiebreaker nevertheless went Nadal's way.
His opponent in the next round, Tiafoe, had a much more challenging tie as he overcame 20th seed Dimitrov.
The American cut an emotional figure after the match:
"I told my parents ten years ago that I was gonna do this, I was gonna change their lives and my life. Now I'm in the quarters of a slam at 21...I can't believe it, man."
He'll be joined in the next round by Bautista Agut, who continued his impressive run through the tournament in five sets against Cilic.
The Spaniard knocked out last year's runner-up, having previously overcome Andy Murray, John Millman and 10th seed Karen Khachanov in his first three matches.
Roger Federer Upset by Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2019 Australian Open Round of 16
Jan 20, 2019
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts after a point against Switzerland's Roger Federer during their men's singles match on day seven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2019. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read DAVID GRAY/AFP/Getty Images)
Stefanos Tsitsipas stunned Roger Federer in four sets on Sunday to reach the quarter-final of the 2019 Australian Open.
The 20-year-old came from behind to win 6-7 (11), 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (5) in a thrilling contest in Melbourne.
An aggressive start from Federer forced his opponent to fend off two break points in an eight-minute opening game. The pair rattled through the games at a much quicker pace as the set continued to follow serve, though.
Tsitsipas, who impressively recorded three consecutive holds to love, showed himself to be more than a match for the Swiss maestro:
The inevitable tiebreaker was just as competitive, with both players producing some superb play but struggling to close it out, as Federer's forehand unusually let him down in the key moments.
Federer eventually claimed it after saving three set points, though, and Tsitsipas had every reason to be disappointed with how the final point played out:
What a way to lose the set!
Someone from THE CROWD calls out midway during a rally!
The second set continued in much the same fashion, until Federer began to turn the screw again on Tsitsipas' serve. The Greek saved three break points to level the scores at 3-3 before batting back two more in his next service game.
Record's Jose Morgado noted how closely matched the pair have been in their limited dealings with one another:
Between Perth and Melbourne, there were 45 service games between Federer and Tsitsipas. Zero breaks so far.
Tsitsipas struggled to get near the veteran's serve, but he continued to show remarkable resilience as he saved four set points on the way to forcing another tiebreaker.
A pair of unforced errors from Federer either side of a Tsitsipas forehand winner handed the latter three set points, and he took the first to level the match.
Federer's inability to break his opponent continued in the third set, as the Press Association's Eleanor Crooks observed:
Federer is now 0/12 on break points. Tsitsipas hasn't had one yet
A lovely passing winner from Tsitsipas earned him his first break points at 4-4. They came and went as quickly as they'd arrived, but a couple of errors from Federer at 6-5 handed him two set points, which he duly converted.
There was little to separate the pair again in the fourth, as they battled to yet another tiebreaker.
A long forehand from Federer at the crucial moment gave Tsitsipas a match point, and he made no mistake in closing out the match:
The No. 14 seed will face Roberto Bautista Agut in the next round following his triumph over Marin Cilic.
Watch Roger Federer Get Denied Entry to Australian Open Locker Room on Video
Jan 19, 2019
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates winning his third round match against Taylor Fritz of the United States during day five of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
It turns out being arguably the best men's tennis player in history isn't enough to get you entry into the locker room at the Australian Open without proper identification.
In the video below, a security guard refused to let Roger Federer enter the players' locker room because he wasn't wearing his tournament ID.
"I don't care who you are, mate - you're not coming in"
To Federer's credit, he seemed to take the whole thing in stride before getting through.
Just remember, all you aspiring tennis players, being a six-time Australian Open champion means nothing when you want to go into the locker room at Melbourne Park.
Australian Open 2019 Results: Winners, Scores, Stats from Friday's Bracket
Jan 18, 2019
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates winning match point in her third round match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during day five of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out of the 2019 Australian Open by Maria Sharapova in a three-set epic on Friday.
The Russian star prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours, 24 minutes of supreme tennis on Rod Laver Arena.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer, the men's defending champion, eased to a 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 victory over America's Taylor Fritz.
And No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal put on a clinic as he beat home favourite Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
No. 6 seed Marin Cilic survived a huge scare from 35-year-old Fernando Verdasco, coming back from two sets down to win in four hours, 18 minutes.
Selected Friday Results
Men's Singles
(3) Roger Federer bt. Taylor Fritz: 6-2, 7-5, 6-2
(2) Rafael Nadal bt. (27) Alex de Minaur: 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
Full results can be found at the Australian Open's official website.
Sharapova was always likely to cause Wozniacki problems.
The 31-year-old is a five-time Grand Slam champion, including the 2008 Australian Open, and had dropped just three games in her opening two matches this year in Melbourne.
Wozniacki, 28, had also enjoyed relatively easy victories in her opening two matches at the 2018 Australian Open, and she raced into a 4-1 lead in the first set against Sharapova.
A double fault at break-point down in the seventh game of the set handed the break back to Sharapova, and it proved fatal as the Russian went on to win the opener by claiming five games on the bounce:
We see you, Maria! Sharapova wins five games in a row to take the first set 64. Can Wozniacki rebound in the second set? pic.twitter.com/WDEu2UlFT1
The Danish third seed was not quelled, though, and broke in the final game of the second set to level up the match.
It was a contest that deserved a decider given the quality of the two players, but Sharapova also deserved the win in the end.
She reapplied the pressure in the third set and showed a determination that has been in short supply since she returned from her doping ban in 2017.
The world No. 30 backed that up with plenty of quality, hitting 37 winners in the match to Wozniacki's 10, and displaying clinical finishing at the net.
Nadal was not so much clinical as brutal in his win over Australian De Minaur.
The Rod Laver Arena got behind the 19-year-old, who put in a spirited display, but Nadal was relentless in his pursuit of victory:
Nadal and de Minaur just looks like a fight between different weight classes tonight. #AusOpen
De Minaur simply could not live with Nadal's power as the Spaniard crushed winner after winner off his incomparable forehand.
When the teenager had the ball in hand, he had to work hard game after game simply to hold his serve, with Nadal claiming five breaks in the match.
Meanwhile, De Minaur rarely got close to breaking Nadal as he landed 75 per cent of first serves, winning 53 of 65 points behind it.
To his credit, De Minaur made Nadal work for two hours, 22 minutes before he sealed his spot in the fourth round, where he will face Tomas Berdych:
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates winning his third round match against Taylor Fritz of the United States during day five of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia.
Federer, meanwhile, needed only 88 minutes to see off Fritz.
The Swiss third seed is going for a third consecutive title in Melbourne and set up a meeting with No. 14 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas by winning on Friday.
Against 21-year-old Fritz, Federer won 93 per cent of points behind his first serve, claimed 15 of 18 points at the net and hit 34 winners.
He and Nadal have looked ominously good in the first week and seem on acollision course to meet in the semi-finals.
Australian Open 2019: Friday Results, Highlights, Scores Recap from Melbourne
Jan 18, 2019
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a forehand in his third round match against Alex De Minaur of Australia during day five of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are each through to the fourth round of the 2019 Australian Open after defeating respective third-round opponents Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur on Friday.
Federer proved a cut above and beat Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-2, while Nadal enjoyed a similarly simple outing against De Minaur, who struggled to keep pace with his second-seed superior in a straight-setsloss.
Stefanos Tsitsipas will attempt to knock Federer out of the running in the round of 16 after he defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, and unseeded Tomas Berdych beat Diego Schwartzman 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
Sixth seed Marin Cilic emerged on top of one of the best comebacks we're likely to see at this Australian Open, beating Fernando Verdasco4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8), 6-3 in a match lasting four hours and 20 minutes.
Maria Sharapova forced a shock in the women's singles and reiterated her intent to win a first major since 2014 by upsetting defending champion Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. No. 2 Angelique Kerber was less surprising as she ran to an imperious 6-1, 6-0 win over Kimberly Birrell.
There was a shock lower down the pecking order, too, as 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova became the first player born in the 2000s to book a Grand Slam fourth-round spot by beating 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2.
Fifth seed Sloane Stephens will join them in the fourth round and secured her place with a 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) win over No. 31 seed Petra Martic, reaching this stage of the competition for the first time since 2014.
Federer may be set to turn 38 in August, but the Swiss superstar continued to show great stamina as he beat Fritz on Friday, and he is still yet to drop a set at the Australian Open this year.
The third seed failed to face so much as a break point and was the clear superior over the course of their clash, while Federer took five of the nine break opportunities he had, per the official Australian Open website.
Fritz found fortune at the net in patches, but it was only in their second set that Federer showed any signs of creaking in what was a fairly pristine performance:
The same could be said for Nadal in his win over De Minaur, a 19-year-old opponent who showcased some endearing qualities in the face of such irrepressible talent.
The Australian was soundly beaten in the end but never looked like giving up the fight altogether, best summarised in a climactic final game that saw him save five match points before he finally broke.
Tsitsipas should prove a more worthy foe for Federer in the fifth round and presents the world No. 3 his first seeded opponent in Melbourne this year, coming off the back of a morale-boosting victory of his own.
The Greek prospect and 19th seed Basilashvili were split by narrow margins over four sets, as Tsitsipas reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the second time in his career (first at the Australian Open).
While those stars enjoyed more straightforward wins, Cilic took the long route in a five-set war against Verdasco, which saw the Croat come back from two sets and two match points down to beating the No. 26 seed.
Cilic lost a crushing final to Federer in the final of last year's contest—just the second time he'd ever made it past the fourth round in Melbourne—but he showed sensational grit to at least attempt competing again:
Grigor Dimitrov was the favourite to beat Thomas Fabbiano and pushed the Italian to one side to set up a fourth-round clash opposite Frances Tiafoe, who ground out a hard-fought win against Andreas Seppi.
Federer still has a chance to retain his crown in Melbourne, but the same can no longer be said for women's title-holder Wozniacki after Sharapova sent her out, via Eurosport UK:
Sharapova has made it to the fourth round of successive majors for the first time since 2015 with that win, which saw her advance despite committing more than twice the number of unforced errors as Wozniacki (46 to 21).
Hers wasn't the only shock, either, as 11th seed Sabalenka tumbled out of the competition at the hands of teenager Anisimova, who was well worthy of her straight-sets win despite the surprise:
Her range of shots across the court and the ability to perform under pressure meant she was unbroken by her seeded foe, and she'll next hope to upset eighth seed Petra Kvitova, who beat BelindaBencic.
Anisimova's American compatriot Stephens also progressed with a straight-sets victory of her own, although the 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) beating of Martic looked a lot closer in terms of competition:
Birrell stood little chance of impeding Kerber, who made light work of the Australian, born in Dusseldorf. The No. 2 seed retains hope of extending her fine run of form at the Australian Open after reaching at least the final four in two of the past three tournaments, winning the crown in 2016.
Kerber will face Danielle Collins, who surprised 19th seed Caroline Garcia with a 6-3, 6-2 clean sweep and could help Americans make up more than a quarter of the round-of-16 draw.
Roger Federer Earns Straight-Set Win vs. Taylor Fritz at 2019 Australian Open
Jan 17, 2019
Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a return against Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 18, 2019. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)
Roger Federer advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open after he defeated unseeded 21-year-old American Taylor Fritz, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 on Friday (Australian Eastern Time) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
The victory marked the 18th time in 19 years that Federer has reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. The 20-time major winner has won the event six times, including in 2017 and 2018.
Fritz, who upset No. 30 Gael Monfils in his previous match, reached the third round of a major for the second consecutive time after having not done so in his first 12 attempts.
Federer set the tone in the first set when he defeated Fritz 6-2 in just 20 minutes. The 37-year-old won his first serve 12 of 13 times and only had two unforced errors.
Kurt Streeter of the New York Times explained why Federer dominated early:
Fritz, who had nine unforced errors in the first set, settled down in the second and nearly pushed Federer to a tiebreaker. With the set tied at five, however, Fritz had two unforced errors before Federer won break point after capping off a rally with a forehand winner:
Federer won an early break in the third set after he emerged on the right end of a 16-shot rally and cruised to a win. He will face No. 14 Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday. The 20-year-old Greek defeated No. 19 Nikoloz Basilashvili to advance past the third round.
Federer and Tsitsipas have never faced each other. However, Tsitsipas was refreshingly honest when he made his feelings clear about facing Federer after he beat Basilashvili before the conclusion of the Fritz match:
Thoughts on the next round?@StefTsitsipas: "I really hope Taylor wins."
This year's Australian Open marks the second timeTsitsipas has reached the fourth round of a major, as he also did so at the 2018 Wimbledon.
Australian Open 2019 Results: Nadal, Federer and Wednesday's Results, Highlights
Jan 16, 2019
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 16: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates winning his second round match against Daniel Evans of Great Britain during day three of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
Roger Federer booked his spot in the third round of the 2019 Australian Open with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over Great Britain's Dan Evans on Wednesday.
The legendary Swiss is going for a third consecutive title in Melbourne, but he was made to work hard by Evans in two hours and 35 minutes of action on Rod Laver Arena.
Caroline Wozniacki, the defending champion in the women's singles, had an easier time of things as she eased past Sweden's Johanna Larsson in 66 minutes.
Rafael Nadal also made quick work of his second-round match against Australia's Matthew Ebden, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 56minutes.
The biggest shock of the day saw men's fifth seed Kevin Anderson beaten by 20-year-old American Frances Tiafoe.
Selected Wednesday Results
Men's Singles
(3) Roger Federer bt. Dan Evans: 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3
Frances Tiafoe bt. (5) Kevin Anderson: 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
Full results can be found at the Australian Open's official website.
Briton Evans is ranked No. 189 in the world, but despite not getting a set on the board against the third seed, he came away from the clash with enormous credit.
Federer failed to earn a break point until the 12th game of the first set, and Evans was confident enough to serve-and-volley in order to force a tiebreak.
In the breaker, it was the underdog who went into a 5-3 lead, but Federer upped his game in typical style at the crucial moment to eventually come out on top:
When the 20-time Grand Slam winner—who is going for an unprecedented seventh Australian Open title—broke Evans in the first game of the second set, it looked as though the contest may be over.
But Evans composed himself to trade subsequent holds with Federer, and then remarkably set up another tiebreak when he claimed a break of his own for 5-5, taking full advantage of a double-fault from the Swiss and producing a fine backhand winner.
In the second breaker of the match, though, Federer went into a 3-0 lead from which Evans could not recover, and the third set unfolded in a more predictable manner as the defending champion sealed victory.
The 37-year-old will now face Taylor Fritz in the third round after the 21-year-old American overcame Gael Monfils in a 204-minute epic on Wednesday.
Nadal, meanwhile, put on a show against Ebden in front of a raucous crowd.
Ebden understandably had the backing of most of Rod Laver Arena, and he gave them numerous moments to cheer against the No. 2 seed.
But Nadal never looked uncomfortable, breaking five times in the match and saving all four of the break points Ebden managed to carve out.
The Spaniard pulled out numerous vintage forehand winners as he eased to victory, one of which finished the match off:
World No. 3 Wozniacki won her first Grand Slam in Melbourne last year and continued the defence of her title with a clinical display against Larsson.
The Danish star served at 76 per cent during the clash and impressively won 92 per cent of points behind her second serve.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 16: Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark plays a backhand in her second round match against Johanna Larsson of Sweden during day three of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Ph
Two breaks of serve in each set saw Wozniacki to victory without really having to get out of third gear, and she will now face Maria Sharapova in a mouth-watering third-round tie.
The United States' Sloane Stephens was similarly efficient in earning her second win of the tournament against Hungary's Timea Babos.
The world No. 5 took full advantage of her opponent's 44 unforced errors as she hit 15 winners in the 95-minute contest.
Stephens had not made it past the first round at the Australian Open since 2014, and she will now be looking to at least match her 2013 campaign in Melbourne when she made the semi-finals.
Australian Open 2019: Federer's and Nadal's Win, Anderson's Loss and Scores
Jan 16, 2019
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 16: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates winning his second round match against Daniel Evans of Great Britain during day three of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
Defending Australian Open men's champion Roger Federer was pushed hard in his Round 2 showdown with Dan Evans on Wednesday.
The Swiss, who is chasing an incredible 21st Grand Slam title, needed two tiebreaks to get the opening sets on the board before eventually moving through the gears in the third, winning 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the end. Rafael Nadal also progressed after a three-set win over Matthew Ebden.
The biggest upset of the day came in the men's draw, as 2018 Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson was on the receiving end of a brilliant performance from United States youngster Frances Tiafoe.
The big names made it through in the women's bracket, including defending champion Caroline Wozniacki. Angelique Kerber, looking to build on her Wimbledon title from 2018, is also into Round 3 after a comfortable win.
Here are the selected results from Wednesday's play and a recap of the standout moments from down under.
Men's Singles
(2) Rafael Nadal bt. Matthew Ebden, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
(3) Roger Federer bt. Dan Evans, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3
Frances Tiafoe bt. (5) Kevin Anderson, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
It was a measure of the challenge facing Evans on Wednesday, although the Briton would have been pleased by the way in which he was able to push the Swiss in the opening two sets.
Federer needed tiebreaks in the first two stanzas, having been unable to shake off Evans earlier in each set. After edging two in front, the 37-year-old was able to step things up in the third and eventually clinch the match in straight sets.
There was a relaxed aura about Federer throughout this encounter, with he and Evans seemingly enjoying themselves on the court:
Good-humoured exchange on RLA. Federer prepares to serve. Baby cries. Evans: "Are you okay?" Fed: "I'm happy if you are." Evans: "I'll be the one running, so ..." Fed: "If you're ready, we'll play."
For others, matters were much more serious, including Anderson. The South African appeared on course for a straightforward win over Tiafoe having won the first set, but the American dug deep to fight back.
In the end, the 20-year-old completed a brilliant comeback and secured the biggest win of his career in the process.
Afterwards, he commented on how hard he had to work for this victory:
"I went to a different place. I dug insanely deep."
In the women's draw, Wozniacki looked every inch the defending champion in her showdown with Johanna Larsson, while Kerber was in wonderful form to overcome Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Fifth seed Sloane Stephens was also impressive in getting past Timea Babos, with the American enjoying an excellent performance in terms of her return of serve:
Sloane Stephens into 3R with a 63 61 win over Timea Babos. Generated 23(!) break points.
Stephens faces No.31 Petra Martic to return to the Round of 16. Last R16 appearance @AustralianOpen was in 2014.
There was a top-10 upset in the women's bracket, as Kiki Bertens was sent packing by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The former French Open semi-finalist had been expected to fare well in Melbourne having reached the last four at the Sydney International recently. However, she produced a sloppy performance on Wednesday and her opponent capitalised.
Roger Federer Cruises Past Dan Evans in Straight Sets at 2019 Australian Open
Jan 16, 2019
Switzerland's Roger Federer reacts after winning the first set against Britain's Daniel Evans in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Roger Federer took care of business in the second round of the Australian Open as he defeated unseeded Dan Evans 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3 in straight sets on Wednesday (Australian Eastern Time) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
With the win, Federer reached the third round of a major for the 58th time in 59 tries dating back to the 2003 Wimbledon.
Evans gave Federer all he could handle and even pushed the 37-year-old to tiebreakers in the first two sets, but the 20-time major winner held on and cruised to victory in the third set for the win.
Still, Evans impressed with his performance, and his gutsy effort may have been the story of the match despite the loss.
It's not as if Evans, whom the Evening Standard listed as a large 12-1 underdog entering the match, was able to strike while Federer struggled. In fact, the 20-time major winner played well.
The duo played a very clean contest with only 31 unforced errors. The key difference turned out to be Federer's performance at the net, as he won 74 percent of his points there compared to 53 percent for Evans. He also unleashed 11 aces compared to Evans' four.
But Evans unleashed a few fantastic shots, namely this crosscourt backhand to level the second set at five games apiece:
Teacher: Roger Federer Student: Dan Evans
The world No.189 produces a passing crosscourt backhand to break back Federer and level the second set 5-5.#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/Xh3Pwy5VLQ
Evans received positive remarks for his second-round work from numerous sources. Mike Hytner of The Guardian said that Evans "pushed [Federer] in both sets" and noted the match was "far, far from a walkover." Hytner also praised the "fight" with which Evans performed on Wednesday.
The Evening Standard wrote Evans put forth "an incredible performance," while BBC Sport tweeted that there was "a lot ... to be proud of."
However, Federer was simply too much for Evans on this day. Of note, this drop shot in the third set was one of his better moments of the match:
