Roger Federer to reach for Swede advice facing Andy Murray at Australian Open

Roger Federer is planning to tap coach Stefan Edberg’s deep well of experience to try new things in his quarter-final showdown with Andy Murray at the Australian Open.

Roger Federer, right, listens to coach Stefan Edberg during practice session during the Australian Open at Melbourne. Shuji Kajiyama / AP Photo
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Roger Federer is planning to tap coach Stefan Edberg’s deep well of experience to try new things in his quarter-final showdown with Andy Murray at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The sixth-seeded Swiss player cruised into the last eight at Melbourne on Monday with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The 17-time grand slam winner has reached his 11th consecutive quarter-final in Melbourne and equalled the record of 41 major last eight appearances with the American, Jimmy Connors, as he set up a rematch of last year’s semi-final, won by Murray in five sets.

Federer, who has been working for 10 weeks with Edberg, who won six majors in his career, said he will draw on the Swede’s knowledge to devise tactics for the match with the Wimbledon champion Murray.

“It’s not going to hurt,” he said. “Yeah, it could be very helpful. We’ll talk about it a little bit about the Murray match.

“It’s just a different perspective. He did things his way back in the day and you can take so many things from his experience.

“I want to maybe try out a few things that worked for him and try out a few things that he thinks would work out for me this time around.

“Sure, we’ll discuss it, assess it, but he’s here now more for just support, making me feel comfortable, giving me right advice, pre-match, post-match, discussing it with Severin Luthi, my coach.”

Federer had to go to five sets to beat Tsonga in the tournament 12 months ago, but it was much more straightforward affair this time once he had broken the 10th seed’s opening service game.

“I thought I played really well, and clearly against Jo-Willy you have to bring your best game because he dictates play and I thought I did well dictating a lot of the plays,” Federer said.

Murray dropped a set on his way to defeating the unseeded Stephane Robert as he won 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-2, and the world No 1 Rafael Nadal defeated Kei Nishikori in straight sets 7-6, 7-5, 7-6, and he will next meet 22nd seed Grigor Dimitrov, who got the better of the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

In the women’s draw, Maria Sharapova took the positives from her fourth-round 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 defeat to Dominika Cibulkova.

The Russian No 3 seed, playing her first major since June after suffering a shoulder injury, said a hip problem had hurt her prospects, and she said: “I think it was just because I played a lot.

“This is only my second tournament back, so it was those types of things that are expected.”

Victoria Azarenka continued her bid for a third successive title as she cruised past the challenge of Sloane Stephens with a 6-3, 6-2 victory to set up a quarter-final with Agnieszka Radwanska.

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