Time for talking over as Federer, Tomic shape up

MELBOURNE: Brash young Australian Bernard Tomic gets the chance to back up his big talk in his much anticipated showdown with the great Roger Federer in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Tomic, who won his first Tour title last week, has talked up his chances of upsetting the greatest Grand Slam winner of them all in what is shaping as an electric evening inside the Rod Laver Arena.

Swiss legend Federer has done it all before with four Australian titles among his record collection of 17 major wins, and he gave Tomic a straight sets lesson when they met in the fourth round in Melbourne a year ago.
But 43rd-ranked Tomic fancies his chances of a rare early round win over Federer, who has reached the quarter-finals at the last 34 consecutive Grand Slams going back to the 2004 French Open.
Confidence is not in short supply with Tomic, who goes into Saturday's duel the winner of his last 10 singles matches and hopeful of his chances against 31-year-old Federer.
Phlegmatic Federer has taken it all in his stride and far from being provoked by the presumptive Aussie's mind games, he says he hopes the match won't be anti-climatic.
Although Tomic is the rising star of Australian tennis, the centre court crowd is expected to be divided in its support.
A local study for the third year running has Federer upstaging the sports-mad country's football, cricket and swimming stars as the athlete most admired by Australians. (AFP)