Roger Federer took 55 minutes to dispel all injury doubts with a 6-2 6-1 routing of unheralded German Tobias Kamke in the second round of the Brisbane International on Thursday.
Media speculations swirled around the fitness of the world number three less than two weeks before he launches his bid for a fifth Australian Open title and the Swiss maestro dismissed them by dropping only three games in a lop-sided contest.
“I’m going to do my best to stay injury free and give myself a chance to win another grand slam,” Federer said after setting up a quarter-final against Grigor Dimitrov.
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Bulgaria’s Dimitrov came from behind to beat Viktor Troicki 5-7 7-6(6) 6-2, while big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic battled through to the last eight with a 6-7(2) 6-1 6-4 win over Croatian Ivan Dodig.
In the women’s draw, American qualifier Samantha Crawford continued her breakout run by storming into her first WTA semi-final after pummelling Andrea Petkovic.
The 20-year-old Atlanta native, ranked 142nd in the world, blasted 22 winners against the befuddled German in a 6-3 6-0 rout to further enhance her reputation.
“It happened fast. I was trying to not think about it too much, not psych myself out,” the former U.S. Open junior champion said.
“Right after I won, on the on-court interview I was like shaking, and then in the locker room I was like sitting for just like a little bit.
“But yeah, this is awesome.”
Crawford is playing in just her sixth WTA Tour event and her strong showing at an event which has seen the top seeds succumb to injuries should bring her inside the top 100 for the first time.
The American, who spent time growing up in China and speaks fluent Mandarin, has yet to drop a set in Brisbane after dispatching another rising talent Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in the second round.
She faces twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka who trounced U.S. Open finalist Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-2.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber also booked a semi-final spot with a 6-4 6-4 victory against Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
At number four, the German is the highest seed remaining after injury robbed the tournament of Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza.
In the last four, she takes on Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro who rallied past American Varvara Lepchenko 4-6 6-4 7-5.
Victoria Azarenka storms into Brisbane semi-finals
A ruthless Victoria Azarenka stormed into the Brisbane International semi-finals with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of eighth seeded Italian Roberta Vinci on Thursday.
The former world number one, who won her maiden WTA title in Brisbane in 2009, swept Vinci aside in 78 minutes to set up a final four clash against American qualifier Samantha Crawford.
Azarenka raced through the first set in just 29 minutes and although Vinci put up more resistance in the second, the result was never in doubt once she broke the Italian’s serve in the fifth game to gain the vital advantage.
“I executed my plan really well and I started the match well, which I think was missing a little bit in the previous two rounds,” Azarenka said.
“I felt my composure was solid from the beginning to the end. Pretty happy with that.”
Azarenka was in great form against Vinci and blasted 22 winners past the Italian to reach her first semi-final in almost a year.
The two-time Australian Open champion admitted she had never seen Crawford play and was curious as to how she would fare in the semi-finals.
“The semi-final is going to be interesting for both of us, facing somebody I’ve never faced before,” she said.
“I haven’t been in the semi-finals in a while, which is great, too. So it’s a lot of good experience, and I’m looking forward to that.”
Crawford continued her giant-killing run when she beat former Brisbane finalist Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 6-0.
The 20-year-old broke Petkovic once in the first set then ran away with the second to make her first ever semi-final on the WTA Tour.
The young American said she wasn’t worried about facing Azarenka.
“That’s the great thing about tennis -- anything can happen on a given day, anyone can beat anyone,” she said.
“I just want to play well and enjoy it.”
Fourth seeded German Angelique Kerber moved into the final four when she outlasted Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-4.
Kerber had reached the quarter-finals in four visits to Brisbane but this is the first time she has progressed to the semis.
“I think it was a good match from both of us,” Kerber said.
“Anastasia was playing the first few games really tough. She was hitting the ball so fast, so I was just feeling that I was always on the defensive.
“But I was trying to be relaxed and focus on my game and just try to serve well and if I had the chance, go for it. I think it worked well.”
Kerber will play eighth seed Carla Suarez Navarro in the semis after the Spaniard took nearly three hours to down American Varvara Lepchenko 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
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