Second-seeded Roger Federer suffered a surprise defeat Friday in the Australian Open, losing 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(5) to Andreas Seppi of Italy. Federer forced the late tiebreaker, but made untimely errors to meet his third-round elimination.
2015 Australian Open results: Roger Federer falls to Andreas Seppi in 3rd round
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This is the earliest Federer has fallen in Melbourne since a third-round defeat in 2001, and the first time the 30-year-old Seppi has ever toppled him. Seppi stifled a comeback in the midst of noisy Federer support, something he acknowledged in the post-victory interview:
Federer lost despite taking the majority of points (145-144), hampered by an excess of unforced errors, including a crucial double fault in the final tiebreaker.
The victory for Seppi follows a four-set win over no. 29 Jeremy Chardy of France.
Seppi advances to face the winner of the match between Malek Jaziri of Tunisia and Australian Nick Kyrgios. Federer steps out of a tournament he’s won twice, most recently in 2010.
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