Federer survives huge scare to reach last 16 on freaky Friday

Tennis - Australian Open - Third Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 25, 2020. Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates after his match against Australia's John Millman. REUTERS/Issei Kato

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Roger Federer looked defeat full in the face before rallying in the 10-point tiebreaker to edge local battler John Millman in a five-set thriller on Friday night and reach the last 16 of the Australian Open.

It was Federer's 100th victory at Melbourne Park and few of them can have been as hard as the four-hour, 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 4-6 7-6(8) epic he shared with the teak tough world number 47 on Rod Laver Arena.