26 Jan 2009

Federer just survives week one in Melbourne

5:32 am on 26 January 2009

Week one at the Australian Tennis Open ended in the early hours of this morning in Melbourne after a big scare for the world number two Roger Federer and an epic win hometown win in the womens singles.

Federer had to come from two sets down to beat the 20th seeded Czech Thomas Berdych and make the quarter-finals, while the defending champion Novak Djokovic was taken to four sets by the 2006 finalist Marcos Baghdatis.

The 7th and 8th mens seeds Andy Roddick and Juan Martin del Potro are also through to the last eight.

The Yugoslav-born Australian Jelena Dokic, riding a wave of public support after emerging from a troubled past, reached her first grand slam quarter-final since the 2002 French Open with a three sets win over Russia's Alisa Kleybanova.

But the womens top seed Jelena Jankovic crashed out in straight sets to Marion Bartoli, number one Marion Bartoli, the 16th seed from France.