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Concordia MFA
618 Gordon
Concordia, MO
64020
(660)-463-2256
Craig Poppinga GM.
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09/06/10 11:10:00
Printable Page
09/06 23:04 CDT Federer beats Melzer to reach US Open quarters
Federer beats Melzer to reach US Open quarters
By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- With another straight-set victory out of the way at the U.S.
Open, Roger Federer can start thinking about a rematch with Robin Soderling.
Five-time champion Federer beat 13th-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-3, 7-6
(4), 6-3 Monday night to reach the quarterfinals at a 26th Grand Slam
tournament in a row and set up an intriguing matchup. Next up for the
second-seeded Federer is No. 5 Robin Soderling, the man who ended his streak of
23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals with an upset in this year's French Open
quarterfinals.
"He's always been a dangerous player," Federer said in an on-court interview.
"This is obviously a tough draw for me in the quarters, playing Robin."
With rock-star couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale sitting in his guest box
Monday, and before a full house that included New York Yankees third baseman
Alex Rodriguez and actress Cameron Diaz, Federer delivered a crowd-pleasing
performance that included 41 winners. Before heading to the locker room,
Federer met Rodriguez for the first time.
"Haven't lost a set, so obviously, I'm very happy," Federer told the crowd. "It
doesn't matter too much how you play, really. I'd love to play wonderful every
time I come on the court. Guys make it tough. They play and make it the way you
don't want it to be."
As if he needed any extra help, Federer got some from the net in the second-set
tiebreaker, twice hitting balls that hit the tape and trickled over to end
points.
"It's a pity that I didn't win at least one set. I think I deserved the second
set. I think I was the more dangerous player," said Melzer, a semifinalist at
this year's French Open. "You couldn't be more lucky in a tiebreaker than was
in this tiebreaker."
The first net-cord point came at 1-1, when Federer hit a forehand approach shot
as he moved forward. The ball danced along the top of the net before falling
over. Melzer threw his head back in dismay. The second came at 4-4, off a
forehand return, and Melzer wouldn't earn another point in that set.
When Federer, owner of a record 16 Grand Slam championships, smacked a
cross-court forehand winner to close the tiebreaker, he screamed, "Come on!" -
and Melzer looked up at his entourage and yelled, too.
"I wasn't happy with my fortune. Let's put it that way," Melzer said later.
Federer's take? "Tiebreakers are always crucial," he said.
Recovering quickly from that, Melzer broke serve to open the third set. But his
1-0 lead lasted only briefly, because Federer broke right back to 1-all, then
again to go ahead 4-2.
Federer and Melzer, both 29, have known each other for more than a decade, and
they even played doubles together as juniors. But they never faced off as
professionals until this summer at Wimbledon, where they also played in the
fourth round - and Federer also won in straight sets.
Now Federer will take on another familiar foe in Soderling, who advanced
earlier Monday by eliminating No. 21 Albert Montanes of Spain 4-6, 6-3, 6-2,
6-3.
Looking ahead, Soderling said: "It's always a very nice feeling to play against
the world's best. It's matches like that you train for. It's matches like that
I've been dreaming of playing since I started playing tennis - playing at the
big courts in the big tournaments. It's very fun."
Federer owns a 12-1 career record against Soderling, but that lone loss came in
their most recent meeting, at Roland Garros on June 1. Before that, Federer had
won 117 matches in a row - 117! - in the first five rounds at major
tournaments, dating to a loss to Gustavo Kuerten in the third round at the
French Open on May 29, 2004 (Federer advanced twice when opponents withdrew).
Federer has won 44 of his past 45 matches at the U.S. Open, the only defeat
coming in last year's final against Juan Martin del Potro.
Soderling will try to hand Federer another rare loss.
"Well, I played him so many times; I know his game and he knows mine,"
Soderling said. "I'm pretty sure how I need to play to have a chance to win."
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