Australian Open Update: Federer in trouble? Roger Beats Young Serbian Late in the Fifth Set

Number one in the world Roger Federer took on 49th ranked Janko Tipsarevic earlier today in Melbourne, at the Australian Open. I'll be the first to admit I, like most other people wasn't at all interested in this match. Mostly because some kid tried to take on number one in the world.. and on his best surface.

I decided to watch the beginning of this match just to see the start of a blowout, but was totally shocked to see Federer drop the first set 6-7 (5) to Tipsarevic. I was immediately glued to my T.V, I wanted to be there when number one got knocked off his pedestal. Come the start of the second set it looked like I was going to get my wish, but Federer played tough and won the second set 7-6 (1)

But Tipsarevic answered right back taking the third set 7-5. I was ecstatic, I was going to see Federer lose to some no name kid at a tournament he had won in 2004, 2006, and 2007. Just over two and a half hours had passed at the end of the third set and Tipsarevic was looking as strong as he had in the first set.

Federer than decided to show everyone why he is number one and gave Tipsarevic a spankin' in the fourth set 6-1. It was then that the commentators told the viewers the match is as good as done. Roger's going to roll through the fifth set. But I wanted to see another upset like what happened with the 6 seed Andy Roddick.

But I guess they were right.... I mean he won right? Thats important.. but after the longest match of his career, 4 hours and 27 minutes, and the score at the end of the fifth set reading 10-8 against a player ranked 49th. All Federer had to say was "Honestly for me it's good to play five-setters once in a while,".

So as the battered but not broken three time champion limps forward into the next round, he needs to be at the top of his game if he wants the Australian Open for the third year running. Still standing in his way is 13th seed Tomas Berdych, and others including 2nd seed Nadal and 3rd seed Novak Djokovic. But thanks to the young Serbians five set push, the remaining players are now aware Federer is in fact mortal, and that we shouldn't expect anything from him or anyone else for the rounds to come in Melbourne, at the 2008 Australian Open.