Roger Federer Rolls In Quarters, Faces Andy Roddick Next

There are dominant performances on the big stage, and then there are Roger Federer dominant performances.

In his Australian Open quarterfinals match against Juan Martin Del Potro, Federer volleyed, served and ground stroked his way to a near-perfect defeat of the 20-year-old Argentinian 6-3, 6-0, 6-0.
After the match, a slightly confused Del Potro said what most people say after they face Federer.

"You have to ask Roger what happened. I can't do nothing in the match. He play like No. 1 of the world, so that's it," said the Argentine, looking, understandably, a little bit punch-drunk in the post-match press conference. "I just have a bad day. He's Roger Federer. If you don't be good, you lose."

The win pits No. 2 Federer against No. 7 Andy Roddick, the last remaining American on the men's draw, who hasn't fared so well against Roger (the Swiss engineer is 15-2 head-to-head), but he does have something he can hang his Lacoste hat on -- Roddick won the last meeting between the two at the Miami Masters last year.

As the 26-year-old Roddick has been told a million times, when facing Federer in a Grand Slam, his game will have to be about two stoplights north of perfect to have a chance. While Roddick was given a little bit of a gift on Tuesday by Novak Djokovic, who retired in the fourth set, his road to the semis has been rather delightful. Roger, on the other hand, has already had to go the distance in his fourth round match against Tomas Berdych after Federer lost the first two sets.

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Russia's Elena Dementieva reacts as she plays Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro during their Women's singles quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)

Russia's Elena Dementieva, right, shakes hands with Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro after winning their Women's singles quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 28: Elena Dementieva of Russia celebrates winning match point in her quarterfinal match against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain during day ten of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Elena Dementieva

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Russia's Elena Dementieva looks on during her women's singles quarter-final match against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 28, 2009. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas (AUSTRALIA)

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Elena Dementieva of Russia celebrates defeating Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain after their women's singles tennis match on day 10 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 28, 2009. Dementieva won 6-2, 6-2. AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD (Photo credit should read GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images)

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Russia's Elena Dementieva returns to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro during their women's singles quarter-final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 28, 2009. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas (AUSTRALIA)

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Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro looks on during her women's singles quarter-final match against Russia's Elena Dementieva at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 28, 2009. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas (AUSTRALIA)

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Russia's Elena Dementieva celebrates on her way to beating Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro during their Women's singles quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)

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Roddick, on the other hand, has had to complete a fourth set just once, in his second round match, and has his serve in a different gear from the rest of the field.

"You know, I think it helps that I stopped a big streak against him last year in Miami," Roddick said. "It's certainly not going to hurt at all. I'm probably the least favored of anybody to make it to the semis here. I'm just going to keep going and keep my head down and keep working. I'm not going to get too excited."

I guess he will leave that for the rest of us.