It’s rare that you see Roger Federer pushed this early in a grand slam tournament. That the world’s best player needed five sets and four and a half hours to pull out a come from behind 6-7 (5), 7-6 (1), 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 third round victory down under speaks to how well Janko Tipsarevic played.

The 23 year-old 49th ranked Serbian who had never been past the second round pushed the 12-time slam champion to the brink of elimination in a grueling four and a half hour marathon. Slugging it out from the baseline, Tipsarevic played the kind of inspired tennis which made the three-time Australian Open champion dig deep to reach the Round of 16.

In fact, it was Federer who dropped his first set of the tournament in a tiebreak losing as many games in the opening frame as he had against his first two opponents. But the two-time defending champ fought back to claim the second set breaker cruising to a 7-1 win to square the match.

When it looked like Federer would serve out the third set for a lead, a determined Tipsarevic cameback to break the Swiss Maestro twice to claim the set and pull within one big set of a stunning upset.

Amazingly, he converted all three break chances while the champion needed all 21 opportunities for his five breaks.

“I had to block out all the chances I missed,” Federer later admitted to the Associated Press. “He came up with some fantastic plays and played me well.”

Though he rebounded in strong fashion to take the fourth set forcing the deciding dramatic fifth, it wouldn’t come easy for Federer because Tipsarevic wouldn’t budge an inch. When facing the pressure in the fifth game, the Serb came up with the goods nailing a tough crosscourt forehand winner inside the line to save one of two break points the 26 year-old from Switzerland had drawing plenty of support from the capacity Rod Laver Arena crowd.

Using a gigantic forehand which produced many of his 52 winners, Tipsarevic continued to stay right with Federer in the final set which needed 78 minutes to complete as they went to sudden death. The Serb’s underrated serve allowed him to win many free points (71 percent on first serve). Even a kicker of a second serve won 57 percent- three percent higher than Fed.

If there was one huge difference, it was Federer’s penchant for aces- easily shattering his previous best with 39. He needed every single one in not facing a break or match point earlier today.

Finally in the 17th game with the match square at eight all in the fifth, a determined Federer cameback from 40-0 down (three game points) to break Tipsarevic. Maybe that’s what separates him from every other tennis player on the planet. He just never gives away any free points. Instead of packing it in, he made Tipsarevic play producing a couple of his match best 96 winners including a backhand and forehand crosscourt which setup the 21st break opportunity.  This time, he cashed it by ripping a backhand crosscourt which his desperate foe netted. Federer gave a loud roar pumping his fist as he finally got ready to close out a resilient Tipsarevic who came in with the right approach.

“I went on court with the idea that I can win,” the Serbian pointed out later. “I was close. I lost because he was better in the important moments of the match.“  

“Be aggressive, and then try to make him work for the points that he’s winning. “Against Roger it’s so hard, because he’s playing every point. Even when you’re up like 40-0, the game is far, far from over.“

When Federer drew an error from Tipsarevic, it was finally over. Unlike a classic five set semifinal in which he fell to eventual 2005 winner Marat Safin, the world No.1 had what it took to survive advancing to a fourth round match-up against No.12 seeded Tomas Berdych, who eliminated No.21 Juan Monaco in four sets.

“I don’t often get to play five-setters unless they’re against [Rafael] Nadal at Wimbledon,” Federer later noted. “It was good to be part of something like this. It’s a pity you can’t have draws in tennis.”

That’s any sport in general where there’s always a winner and a loser. For Federer, he usually comes out on top because he’s so great. He also has tremendous will which was on display Saturday.

If Federer prevails over Berdych, he could face 28 year-old American James Blake in the quarters. After pulling off his first ever win from two sets down over Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, the affable Yonkers native will face 19 year-old Croat Marin Celic, who knocked out 2007 runner-up Fernando Gonzalez in four sets.

Also moving into the Round of 16 was Australia’s own Lleyton Hewitt. The 26 year-old former 2005 finalist not surprisingly needed five sets to get the better of No.15 seeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in a match which took nearly five hours ending at 4:33 AM Australian time.

“It wasn’t easy for both of us. Obviously, an incredible day of tennis. For Roger Federer to go five sets, how often does that happen?” Hewitt pointed out after outlasting a hobbled Baghdatis who rolled his ankle but fought valiantly. “It’s tough for everyone. Marcos and I are in the same boat.”

Hewitt will next face No.3 seeded Serb Novak Djokovic, who straight setted young American Sam Querrey 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.

On the women’s side, American Venus Williams advanced to the Round of 16 with a 7-6 (0), 6-4 win over Sania Mirza.  She’ll await the winner of China’s Li Na or Poland’s Marta Domachowska.

Younger sister Serena Williams is slated to play 12th seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova in a rematch of a semifinal last year. The defending champion prevailed in that one and will look for a similar end result as she attempts to successfully defend her third Aussie title. She could see third seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic in the quarters.

Meanwhile, it will be a battle of Russian women when last year’s runner-up Maria Sharapova faces 11th seeded Elena Dementieva.

On the men’s side, another Russian battle will take place between fourth ranked Nikolay Davydenko and 14th seeded Mikhail Youzhny. It should be a good one between the two speedy baseliners.

We’ll have more later.