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Australian Open: Roger Federer sets up Tomas Berdych clash

 Federer managed to win in straight sets against a much-younger opponent.

Australian Open: Roger Federer sets up Tomas Berdych clash

Roger Federer (Photo: AFP)

Roger Federer beat 197th ranked Noah Rubin 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday to set up a mouthwatering clash with 10th-seed Tomas Berdych.

Rubin, who famously upset the 17th-seed Benoit Paire at the 2016 Australian Open, found the going tough against this year’s 17th seed, the great Federer.

The American, who trains at the John McEnroe academy, gave a good account of himself against the four-time Australian Open champion, but came up short in a tie that lasted just over two hours.

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Federer had won his first-round game in four sets wasn't in top gear and it took him a while to break the young Rubin in the first set, breaking at 5-5 to serve out the set.

While the second set was relatively easy, it was a dramatic third which had scores of adoring fans at the Rod Laver Arena worrying.

Rubin won the opening three games as he refused to go quietly, forcing his opponent, who was 16 years older than him, to really up the tempo.

At 3-5 down, Federer remained unruffled and won the next three games to edge ahead 6-5. Rubin, who was just eight when the ‘Swiss Express’ won his first Australian Open title in 2004, held his serve to force the tiebreak, but after initially putting up a fight, wilted despite having a chance to stretch the game into a fourth set.

Earlier in the day, Berdych’s easy passage at the Australian Open continued, as he beat Ryan Harrison 6-3, 7-6, 6-2. Berdych’s first-round opponent, the Italian Luca Vanni had retired after losing the first set, 6-1.

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