Sweet 16 for Federer

the first set in 43 minutes in the ninth game.

And when Federer broke Murray to love in the third game of the second set, it looked set to be an early finish at Melbourne Park.

Murray was struggling to create break opportunities on Federer's serve, although he was taken to deuce in the sixth game, before Murray somehow avoided going two breaks down when he fought back from 0-40 down to hold in the seventh game.

However 28-year-old Federer still had no trouble serving the set out 6-4.

The third set was an epic after Murray finally broke Federer in the fifth game but crucially gave it back when he served for the set in the ninth game as the set went to a tiebreaker.

And it was here that Federer's greater experience prevailed as both players wasted countless chances to claim the set.

Murray had two set points when he led 6-4 and had Federer stranded on the second set point but with the court open he netted a forehand.

It was as close as Murray would come to taking the match into a fourth set and although he bravely saved a second match point at 10-9 with a backhand winner that just landed in after he ran down a Federer drop shot, the end came when he netted another backhand at 12-11 as Federer proved yet again that his hunger for more success just never seems to diminish.