MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Roger Federer will look back on it and wonder, just as he did on court, why he just watched as Andreas Seppi went down the line and ended his streak of reaching the Australian Open semifinals for 11 consecutive years.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion was facing match point against Seppi for the first time in their 11 head-to-head meetings, and had control of the rally when he hit a deep forehand into the corner and followed it to the net.
The No. 46-ranked Seppi lunged to his right and stuck out his racket, more hopeful than confident, and guided the ball down the line. Federer let it go past, and glanced back to see it land inside the baseline, giving Seppi a 6-4, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (5) win and a spot in the fourth round.
“The way he hits it you think, ‘This can’t possibly land in.’ You kind of go and you’re there and you’re like, ‘No, I’m going to let it go,'” the second-seeded Federer said. “As you’re telling yourself that, you look behind you and you already know it’s done.”
Federer had reached the semifinals or better at Melbourne Park ever since winning the first of his four Australian titles in 2004. He hadn’t been ousted before the fourth round here since 2001. That changed in an instant.