Federer fails to reach semifinals for first time in 12 years

MELBOURNE, Australia – Roger Federer will look back on it and wonder, just as he did on court, why he just watched as Andreas Seppi went down the line and ended his streak of reaching the Australian Open semifinals for 11 consecutive years.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion was facing match point against Seppi for the first time in their 11 head-to-head meetings, and had control of the rally when he hit a deep forehand into the corner and followed it to the net.

The 46th-ranked Seppi lunged to his right and stuck out his racket, more hopeful than confident, and guided the ball down the line. Federer let it go past, and glanced back to see it land inside the baseline, giving Seppi a 6-4, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (5) win and a spot in the fourth round.

“The way he hits it you think, ‘This can’t possibly land in.’ You kind of go and you’re there and you’re like, ‘No, I’m going to let it go,’ ” the second-seeded Federer said. “As you’re telling yourself that, you look behind you and you already know it’s done.”

Federer had reached the semifinals or better at Melbourne Park ever since winning the first of his four Australian titles in 2004. He hadn’t been ousted before the fourth round here since 2001. That changed in an instant.

Seppi was euphoric, but acknowledged that the defining shot of the match was not a calculated winner.

“Yeah, was for sure a strange shot,” the 30-year-old Italian said. “At the beginning I thought I couldn’t even reach the ball. Then, when I hit it, I didn’t see it going there. I just saw when it bounced in.

“Was for sure one of the important shots of my life.”

Williams sisters advance

Serena Williams saw that older sister Venus was progressing to the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2011 and it inspired her own comeback win.

Top-ranked Serena Willliams made a lackluster start to her third-round match against 26th-ranked Elina Svitolina on Rod Laver Arena – knowing when she walked out that Venus was down a set and a break on a nearby court – but picked up her game after realizing her sister had recovered and was advancing with a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over Camila Giorgi.

Svitolina “kept hitting winners in the first set, there’s not much I can do. Then I saw (Venus’) score and thought ‘Wow she’s winning, well I can do better,’ ” Serena Williams said after her 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 win. “We always motivate each other.” Serena faces No. 24 Garbine Muguruza next.