Australian Open 2015: Roger Federer loses in four sets to Andreas Seppi
Friday 23 January 2015 16:42, UK
Four-time champion Roger Federer suffered his earliest exit at the Australian Open since 2001 as he slumped to a stunning four-set defeat against Italian Andreas Seppi.
Seppi came into Friday's match having lost all 10 of his previous matches against the 17-time Grand Slam champion, snatching just one set in the process.
I just tried to enjoying playing on centre court (Rod Laver Arena) because it's not often I get the chance.
But incredibly the world No 46 pulled off a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) victory over the second seed, who reached at least the semi-final stage each year from 2004 to 2014.
"I just tried to enjoying playing on centre court (Rod Laver Arena) because it's not often I get the chance," Seppi said in his post-game interview.
"It was one of the best matches for sure otherwise I can't win against Roger.
"It's never comfortable playing against Roger, you never can feel comfortable.
"I was focusing on my service games as I was not getting many chances on his.
"The tie-break was great, especially the last point. I did not think I would get the ball. I thought it was a winner so I don't know how I hit a winner."
Struggle
The 33-year-old 17-time Grand Slam champion struggled with his first serve early in the match, while the 30-year-old Seppi took advantage of three of his five break points to take a two sets to love lead.
Federer broke in the third game of the third set to begin what many on Rod Laver Arena thought would be a successful fight back.
Seppi, however, forced a tie-break in the fourth and clinched victory with a desperate lunging forehand past the charging Federer at the net to set up a fourth-round clash with either home favourite Nick Kyrgios or Tunisia's Malek Jaziri.
Seppi admitted he would relish the chance of facing another partisan crowd if he were to face youngster Kyrgios. "It would be great, maybe on this court again, maybe again against all the people."
Federer had been seeded to face either Andy Murray or Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals, and both the Scot and the Bulgarian will sense the draw opening up, with possible semi-final rival Rafael Nadal also looking shaky early on in the fortnight.
Federer has now not won a major title since Wimbledon in 2012, but he insisted there was nothing to take out of his early departure.
"To me I don't read anything into that (the loss). It's just not the best feeling to have," he said.
"It's not like I'm playing shocking or I'm feeling shocking. If I were you, I wouldn't read very much into that."
Nadal hits form
Spanish third seed Rafael Nadal was back to his very best as he defeated Israeli Dudi Sela in straight sets to reach the fourth round.
Nadal had himself narrowly avoided an early exit when he needed five sets and more than four hours to beat American qualifier Tim Smyczek in the second round as he battled illness, but made no such mistakes on Friday.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion beat Sela 6-1 6-0 7-5 and will take on South African Kevin Anderson in the last 16 after the big serving South African beat France's Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (8-6).
The 2009 champion, who lost in last year's final to Stan Wawrinka, has now reached the round of 16 at the year's first major for the ninth time.
"In general I think I was playing better than I did the other day, I was feeling better tonight," Nadal said.
"I changed direction better and my forehand and serving was better. Dudi had some chances in the third set and I was a bit lucky at the end of that third set.
"The other night was one of the toughest times I have spent on the court and my body wasn't very well and I felt very lucky to get through. I thought I was going to have to take the plane back to Majorca."
