Federer relieved after scraping past Simon

Melbourne: Reigning champion Roger Federer was taken to five gripping sets by French nemesis Gilles Simon yesterday before scraping into the Australian Open's third round.

The world No 2, defending his only remaining Grand Slam crown, was pegged back from two sets up before scoring his first-ever win over Simon, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, to stay on course for his fifth Open title.

It was a desperately close call for the 29-year-old, who holds a record 16 Grand Slam titles and only narrowly avoided his worst performance at a major in eight years, and his poorest ever Australian Open outing.

"Today I got lucky to go through," a relieved Federer said. "He's a great player. Matches against him don't come easy and they always go the distance. Hopefully I won't play him any more!" he laughed.

Laser-guided strokes

Federer had lost both his previous matches in 2008 with Simon, who remains one of only three active players — along with Rafael Nadal and Britain's Andy Murray — with a winning record against the all-time Grand Slam record-holder.

The Swiss was powerless against Simon's laser-guided groundstrokes in the third and fourth sets but recovered to find the crucial break with his famous forehand and aced the fifth match point after huge tension at Rod Laver Arena.

Federer is bidding to become only the second man to win five Australian Opens after six-time champion Roy Emerson, and thwart arch-rival Nadal's bid to unite all four Grand Slam titles for the first time in 42 years.

Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic also had difficulties in his ethnically-charged clash with Croatia's Ivan Dodig. Djokovic, who won his only major title here in 2008, let slip a set before winning 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 6-0, 6-2.

The match was played under a heavy security presence but there was no repeat of violence which has repeatedly hit the season's first Grand Slam.