Federer into fourth round at Australian Open

Roger Federer advanced to the fourth round with a 7-6 (6), 7-5, 6-3 over Ivo Karlovic at the 2012 Australian Open.

The former world number 1 will next play against the winner of Aussie Bernard Tomic, who upset Alexandr Dolgopolov in 5 sets.

Karlovic held a set point in the first-set tiebreaker, but that was the closest the Croatian player would come to holding any advantage in the match which featured few service-break opportunities and even fewer long rallies.

This was Federer´s 813th victory in 998 matches.

“I don't know how it feels to play 1000 matches,” Roger Federer said with a slight smile. “I'm only at 999, right?”

In the tie breaker Roger hit an acrobatic lob to save set point at 5-6 down.

“[R]unning up there, I didn't know what to do [with the ball] anymore,” Federer explained. “Probably left and right, going to go too slow and he's going to slam it home. [I thought] ‘Let me try the lob,’ even though that's not what you're supposed to do against him. I got sort of the angle right and was able maybe to surprise him, we're that close to each other, so it's hard to kind of react quick maybe up. I don't know. It kind of worked, and then I had a great return after that. I was almost home.”

As questions have continued to be pressed on the 30-year-old as to what his future is in tennis, he seems to be drawing on his past to continue to live in the present. Such a mindset was on display against Karlovic on Rod Laver Arena after having three full days off following a walkover in his second-round match.

“I think it was important to face throughout the whole three sets just the pressure of facing a guy like Ivo who can serve his way out of trouble,” Federer said of his return to the court. “[He] keeps you on your heels the whole time. You're not quite sure what's going to happen.”