MELBOURNE (Australia): Roger Federer crushed Marton Fucsovics 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 to book a record 15th Australian Open quarterfinal on Sunday.
The Swiss master will now face unheralded American Tennys Sandgren in the last eight.
“It was a tough start, Marton played very clean,” said Federer, who is into his 15th Melbourne quarter-final, surpassing John Newcombe’s 14.
Awaiting him in the last eight on Tuesday is the 100th-ranked Sandgren, who upset 12th-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini over four intense sets.
It will be also be his 57th appearance in the last eight at Grand Slams. No one else is close, with Novak Djokovic next in line on 46.
Federer was pushed to a gruelling five sets by John Millman in round three, but showed no signs of tiredness against Fucsovics despite being 38.
“It just took me some time, I tried to mix it up a bit and just had to figure it out. From the beginning of the second set it got a little bit easier,” added Federer.
Sandgren achieved his best Grand Slam result at Melbourne Park by reaching the last eight in 2018, but it was overshadowed by a row over his political views and links to right-wing activists.
He has put the controversy behind him and shown battling qualities to make the last eight again, and said he was relishing the chance to play an all-time great.
“It will be very special, very special. To play him on a big stage like quarters of a Slam would be a ton of fun really,” the American said.
The pair have never met before, as Federer noted: “I’ve played a lot of tennis in my life but never against Tennys.”
Federer, who could face Djokovic in the semis if he gets past Sandgren, wrapped it up in 2hrs 11mins, almost two hours less than his third-round epic against Millman.
