Swiss tennis superstar Roger Federer powered his way to become the first man to win 300 grand slam singles matches when he beat Grigor Dimitrov in the Australia Open 2016.
Federer, aged 34, brought all his skills and experience to bear against the young Bulgarian.
Dimitrov called for the medics several times during the match, but Federer ignored the distraction and blasted Dimitrov out of the championship.
“I could see what was going on and sympathise with him,” said Federer. “As a younger player I fell for tactics like that and lost matches. Now I am older and wiser and just play my game and let the others get on with theirs.
“I hope his OK, but I’ve progressed to the next round which is what I had to do.”
Career win landmark
Winning 300 grand slam ties is a landmark in Federer’s career.
His name will go into the history books ahead of all the greats who came before him.
Federer gave Dimitrov 10 years in age and fitness to become the oldest man to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open since Andre Agassi in 2005.
If Federer’s game stays on track, he is heading to become the third man to win five Australian Open Men’s Singles titles, trailing legend Roy Emerson, who chalked up six, and current day rival Novak Djokovic, who has notched five titles.
Djokovic is still in the race for the title and if he meets Federer in the final, the match will be of historic significance as Federer will either win his fifth title or Djokovic will match Emerson as the only other man to win six titles.
Williams batters Kasatkina
Federer won his first grand slam match in 2000 in the Australian Open against Michael Chang.
In 2006, he recorded his 100th grand slam victory against Tim Henman at Wimbledon.
The 200th win came in 2010 in a match against Alejandro Falla at Wimbledon.
The women’s top seed Serena Williams and former title holder Maria Sharapova both went through to the next round.
Williams took 45 minutes to batter 18-year-old Russian Darya Kasatkina out in two straight sets, winning 6-1 6-1.
Russia’s Sharapova took three sets to see off unseeded American Lauren Davis, dominating the end of the match to win 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-0.