It was not always straightforward against Marton Fucsovics, Fed dropping the first set but lifting himself immediately with early breaks in the next three sets seeing him home 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 and into the quarter-finals.
Recovering from Friday night had led to the slow beginning Federer said.
"It was a tough start, after I played Johnny (Millman) I laid in bed for an hour (thinking) when am I going to get up?”
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It was cold, “frosty” almost, Federer said, "for Australia it is very different but I think we all prefer it this way".
His game, as it should be for a 38-year-old, is now about economy of movement, fewer tournaments and getting the job done quickly. It has made him more aggressive and prone to errors but after the sloppy start was dispensed with, this was vintage Federer, smooth and seductive and winning.
The fans, almost exclusively, were for the Swiss on an increasingly chilly and breezy Rod Laver Arena. But no one leaves early when Fed is holding court and so it proved even though an hour from the end we all knew where the result was heading.
Fucsovics, at 27-years-old, younger, taller and lighter, simply disappeared as the night wore on, his first serve atrocious, less than half his first serves in.
The Hungarian arrived with a mixed 2020, coming through qualifying to win four out of five matches in Doha before switching to the Bendigo Challenger where he made hasty exit to a player with a world ranking of 349.
He has excelled in Melbourne however, seeing off the 13th seed, and highly rated, Denis Shapovalov, in four sets followed by wins over teenage prodigy Jannick Sinner and up and coming American Tommy Paul in round three.
But Federer is another challenge entirely despite a Saturday 12.50am finish when he finally saw off Millman in five sets, a physical (and emotional to a lesser degree) battering for a 38-year-old.
For all that he has an unsurpassed career, his glory years lie in the first decade of this millennium and we are now in its third decade. He has won five majors over the past 10 years – immensely impressive of course – but his winning years were way before. It shows just how long he has been around.
Unusually, Federer’s last eight encounter promises, on paper, to be easier still.
Tennys Sandgren, a solid unit from southern America playing with one leg patched up with black tape - but which did not stand in his way of beating the mercurial Fabio Fognini in the last 16 – is next. He is ranked 100, a journeyman, but this is his second quarter-final in three years in Melbourne.
Do not expect Fed to lose.
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The four-set victory sets up a quarter-final with the beautifully named Tennys Sandgren, the American star who succeeded in the battle of the hotheads by trumping Fabio Fognini in four sets.
And John McEnroe briefly left Federer speechless when he addressed the bizarrely named rival.
"You play your next match against the guy I think has got the greatest name for tennis and his name in tennis history," McEnroe said.
"His name is Tennys Sandgren. I don't know why his parents named him Tennys but God bless them he's in the quarter-finals."
Federer could barely compose himself as he responded.
"He's not going to be a baseball player that's for sure with that name," he said.
"It's unreal actually. I'm looking forward to playing against him.
"I've never played against Tennys. I played a lot of tennis in life but never against Tennys. Oh, man."
Well that turned out to be extremely clinical from Federer, despite a patchy start and a not-so-vintage display.
He prevails 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.
"It was a tough start. I thought that Marton played clean. I struggled I don't know it was the rest of the (John) Millman match of course," Federer said.
"I get beat down the baseline. Took my confidence away a little bit. Just took some time. I was looking to maybe mix it up a little bit more. It gets slow in the nighttime especially when it's cool like this. Had to figure it's cool like this. Had to figure it out. Find the way. Had good start from the second set from then things got easier."
Well that turned out to be extremely clinical from Federer, despite a patchy start and a not-so-vintage display.
He prevails 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.
"It was a tough start. I thought that Marton played clean. I struggled I don't know it was the rest of the (John) Millman match of course," Federer said.
"I get beat down the baseline. Took my confidence away a little bit. Just took some time. I was looking to maybe mix it up a little bit more. It gets slow in the nighttime especially when it's cool like this. Had to figure it's cool like this. Had to figure it out. Find the way. Had good start from the second set from then things got easier."
4th Set: *Federer 5 – 2 Fucsovics
Federer will serve for the match after getting the double break in the fourth set.
And it comes on the back of another challenge from the great man… he halts the rally and smiles as he looks at the linesman who called the ball good.
Once again Federer is right. I've never known him to have this much success on challenges. Ever!
4th Set: *Federer 3 – 2 Fucsovics
Some fight!
Fucsovics was staring down the barrel of a 4-1 deficit and, more than likely, a fourth round exit tonight.
But he saves two break points and rallies to hold serve and get a confidence-boosting game.
There's pockets of Hungarian fans in the crowd, too, doing their best to will him to the sort of tennis we saw in the first set.
4th Set: Federer 3 – 1 Fucsovics*
Federer, who moves to a 3-1 lead with a comfortable hold, has done something tonight that typically he's struggled with throughout his career.
He's nailed a bunch of challenges. And that is most un-Federer-like.
Oh it's all gone wrong for Marton.
He's been broken once again in the opening game, this time in the fourth set.
It's routine for Federer now, who gives himself a quiet rev-up as Fucsovics sends a forehand long to concede the opening game.
It kind of feels as though Federer is playing at about 80-85% tonight, but it's been enough to throttle his unfancied rival – after the first set, at least.
He follows it up with a speedy hold, sealed with an ace, and it's just a procession at the moment.
Fucsovics has no answers.
Oh it's all gone wrong for Marton.
He's been broken once again in the opening game, this time in the fourth set.
It's routine for Federer now, who gives himself a quiet rev-up as Fucsovics sends a forehand long to concede the opening game.
It kind of feels as though Federer is playing at about 80-85% tonight, but it's been enough to throttle his unfancied rival – after the first set, at least.
He follows it up with a speedy hold, sealed with an ace, and it's just a procession at the moment.
Fucsovics has no answers.
Federer leads 4-6 6-1 6-2
Federer in complete control now as Fucsovics is seemingly falling apart.
He was broken three times in that third set, taking the total to five for the match, and he's started to get frustrated – letting out an aggravated roar after one sloppy unforced error.
It's not vintage Federer, however. He's only sent down 3 aces and isn't picking up many free points on his first serve.
But despite that he's surging towards another quarter-final appearance.
3rd Set: Federer 5 – 2 Fucsovics*
A loose game, that.
Federer hands back one of the two breaks he's earned this set with a sloppy backhand into the net.
This has been a match of violent momentum swings, and Federer needs to be careful not to let Fucsovics capitalise on that scratchy effort.
But he cannot, and Federer regains his double break.
It's sealed in frustrating fashion for Fucsovics, who has Federer beaten all ends up and has a simple volley winner – with the whole court to aim at – in front of him. But instead, he lets it sail over his head, thinking it's sailing wide, only to have it drop on the line.
He challenges, optimistically, but is back at his seat by the time Hawkeye confirms the ball was in.
Federer to serve for the set.
