By Chris Oddo / Friday, January 3, 2014

 

Roger Federer advanced to the semifinals of the Brisbane International with a dominant straight-sets win over Aussie Marinko Matosevic.

Photo Source: AP

Roger Federer needed to save three break points in his first service game against Marinko Matosevic during their quarterfinal at the Brisbane International.

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Once he did that it was all downhill for the mighty Fed.

Federer struck nine aces and converted on five of his nine break point opportunities to win 6-1, 6-1 and set up a semifinal with Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.

Lleyton Hewitt will square off against Kei Nishikori in the other semfinal in Brisbane.

Federer used a lot of straight ahead power tennis to put the 28-year-old Aussie on his heels in the early going, and he raced out to a 5-0 lead after his early scare on the strength of some heavy groundstrokes (the forehand was particularly stellar), lots of big serves and a little serve-and-volley.

Matosevic would get on the board in the sixth game, bringing the spirited Brisbane crowd to its feet, but his success proved to be short-lived, as he would only win one more game on the evening.

Federer broke the second set open after he won a four-deuce game to lead 2-1, and from there he kicked up his game another notch, while Matosevic continued to unravel.

The 57-minute walk in the park was Federer's first meeting with Matosevic. The 17-time Grand Slam champion won 21 of 25 first-serve points and also won 17 of 24 against Matosevic's second serve.

Federer has lost only 11 first-serve points in his two matches at Brisbane, and he has saved all seven break points he has faced.