Federer, Roddick charge into Aussie round of 16

Jan 19, 2007, 16:40 GMT

Top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a shot against Mikhail Youzhny of Russia during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Friday 19 January 2007. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-3, 7-6. EPA/MARTIN PHILBEY

Melbourne, Australia - Reigning champion Roger Federer and American star Andy Roddick highlighted Friday's third-round winners at the Australian Open.

The top-seeded/world No. 1 Federer is now riding a 32-match winning streak after beating 25th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), at Melbourne Park. The super Swiss is an unstoppable 8-0 lifetime against the capable Youzhny, a semifinalist at last year's U.S. Open.

Federer captured the Aussie Open last year and in 2004 and is seeking his 10th career Grand Slam title. He currently holds the Aussie, Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns and was last year's runner-up at Roland Garros, which is the only major to elude the Basel native.

The 25-year-old Federer is trying to land in a seventh straight Grand Slam final. He topped Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in last year's Melbourne title bout and has now won his last 10 matches at the Aussie Open.

Up next for the mighty Swiss is surging Serbian Novak Djokovic.

In the marquee matchup of the tournament thus far, the sixth-seeded Roddick squared off with 26th-seeded Russian Marat Safin, and the American prevailed 7-6 (7-2), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) on Day 5.

Roddick was happy to get past the formidable Russian.

'He's one of the best in the world, so I definitely had to pick up my game in the third and fourth sets,' Roddick said. 'Anything less than that and I would probably would be going home.'

Roddick and Safin pounded away at each other for more than three hours, and the roof at Rod Laver Arena had to be closed because of a light rain.

After the quality match, Safin said he was unhappy that wet patches remained just outside the doubles lines.

'It was a joke. It was really, really pathetic,' Safin said. 'Why I have to put my health in doubt? If I slip and if I get injured and if something happens...'

Safin battled hard on Day 5 and had a bloody finger to prove it. He hit the deck at one point and scraped his hand, which required treatment from an ATP trainer.

The 2006 U.S. Open runner-up Roddick improved to 4-3 lifetime versus his fellow former world No. 1 Safin and they are now 1-1 against each other here at the Aussie Open, as Roddick avenged a quarterfinal loss against the Russian in Melbourne from three years ago.

The two-time major titlist Safin captured the Aussie Open in 2005 and was the runner-up here in 2002 and 2004.

Roddick's coach, the legendary Jimmy Connors, joined Roddick here at Melbourne Park on Friday, as Connors flew in after staying back in the United States to mourn the passing of his mother Gloria last week.

The former U.S. Open champion Roddick should have his hands full with big Croat Mario Ancic in the next round. The ninth-seeded Ancic strolled past 22nd-seeded Slovak Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

A 14th-seeded Djokovic, who has yet to lose this year, handled Thai Danai Udomchoke 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. Djokovic is already 8-0 in the early stages of 2007, including a season-opening title in Adelaide two weeks ago. Udomchoke was the last Asian player standing in the men's draw.

Three other seeds moved into the fourth round, as No. 7 Spaniard Tommy Robredo topped rising American Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-1; No. 16 Spaniard David Ferrer came all the way back to edge out 20th-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-3; and No. 18 Frenchman Richard Gasquet bested his countryman Gael Monfils 6-0, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. Robredo and Gasquet will face-off in the fourth round, while Ferrer will encounter big-serving American Mardy Fish.

One other third-round result saw Fish dismiss heavy Aussie crowd favorite Wayne Arthurs, who retired in the first set while trailing 0-3. Arthurs was unable to play on after having a rare reaction to a local anaesthetic.

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