Federer relieved after being stretched by Berdych

Federer never thought about losing but is relieved after overcoming a two-set deficit against Berdych

Federer relieved after being stretched by Berdych

THANK GOD IT'S OVER: Roger Federer during his 4-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4 6-2 win over Tomas Berdych in the fourth round of the Australian Open yesterday. PICS/AP

Federer never thought about losing but is relieved after overcoming a two-set deficit against Berdych

Roger Federer survived an almighty scare yesterday before booking his place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The second seed will now play Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, seeded eighth, who had a more convincing 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-2 win against 19th seed Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Federer looked in serious danger of failing to reach the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the first time since the French Open in 2004. "He put me under a lot of pressure, but thank God I was able to react," Federer said.

"He doesn't give you that many chances. So, I was happy I hung in there and got through. I had a bad start but I don't think I played a whole lot worse later on. I gave him an easy break in the first game and I never really recovered from that. I was kind of under pressure for a set. To kind of weather the storm against him, it's not easy to do. Once I got serving and moving and playing better, I was able to turn it around. So that was nice."

After losing the first two, Federer got the vital breakthrough of the third set in the seventh game to go 4-3 up and at 5-4 ahead and serving for the set he clinched it with an ace. The start of the fourth set produced another break of serve, this time Federer getting out to an early 3-1 lead and won it easily.

The world number two raced out to a 5-2 lead in the final set as Berdych started to falter but he made a meal of his final game wasting two match points, then giving Berdych the opportunity to break with a wide forehand shot and a double fault before two aces u00e2u0080u0094 his 19th and 20th of the match sealed a thrilling win.

Federer said there was no sense of panic when he went down two sets.

"I wasn't thinking of losing, that's for sure," he said. "The finish line was still very far for Tomas. I knew that.

"I kind of felt after a terrible first set from my side that if I probably want to win this it's going to go to five sets.

"That's why I kind of was prepared for five from the start. I think that's what made me be so determined towards the end. It was nice being in a battle with him. It was fair play. It was tough, good tennis towards the end. I believed in it all the way, and I think that was key in the end."

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