Melbourne: Roger Federer crushed Belgium's Xavier Malisse 6-3 6-3 6-1 in brilliant sunshine to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday, putting his title defence firmly back on track.
The defending Melbourne champion, who came perilously close to a shock exit in the previous round, simply had too many weapons for Malisse, sweeping through in an hour and 45 minutes.
"For sure it's not the easiest thing to come back from a five-setter but I managed it," Federer told reporters after shaking off the rust of his nail-biting win over Frenchman Gilles Simon.
"Today was intense too. The first two sets almost didn't reflect how tough it was. I think that maybe broke his will a little bit.
"He was up 3-1 in the second set. Then I was able to come back and win 11 straight games which was obviously a great run I got on," added the Swiss maestro, who next plays Spain's Tommy Robredo.
"You can't win a grand slam in the first week but you can lose it. I'm happy how my body is feeling and I'm moving well."
Playing with new shoes emblazoned with four little Swiss flags to symbolise the number of Australian Open crowns he has won, the 16-times grand slam champion quickly resumed normal service after his Gilles scare.
Federer forced Malisse to scamper all over the Rod Laver Arena chasing down cleverly disguised drop shots and rocket forehands in a much-improved performance.
Signs of the chinks that showed in Federer's armour for much of last year still remain, however, as he committed 36 unforced errors, including two mis-hit smashes.
But Federer raised his game when it mattered, sealing victory with a trademark whipped forehand down the line, encapsulating perfectly the gulf in class.
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