Roger Federer had a special little guest in his box during his third round match at the Australian Open on Friday. The Swiss legend took on Taylor Fritz on Rod Laver Arena, showing why he’s one of the favourites yet again with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 win. ‘SOAP OPERA’: World’s media savages Aussie tennis over ugly feud ‘WOULDN’T HAVE SAID ANYTHING’: Aussie great whacks Hewitt claims The majority of fans on centre court were in awe of Federer’s flawless display as he raced into the fourth round in little time. But son Lenny, 4, didn’t appear to be one of them. Lenny made a rare appearance in his dad’s box on Friday, however his attention was elsewhere. Lenny was in a cheeky mood. Image: Australian Open TV cameras caught the adorable moment Lenny was playing with Federer’s coach Ivan Ljubicic during the first set, sticking his finger in the coach’s ear and trying to pop his puffed out cheeks with his hand. Fans, including Andy Murray’s mum Judy, spotted Lenny and took to social media to gush over the cute little guy. Love this. Uncle Lubo entertaining one of @rogerfederer’s twin boys. 🤣 https://t.co/H0S45qkVf3 — judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 18, 2019 Watching @rogerfederer ‘s son try to pop coach @theljubicic ‘s cheeks during the change of ends is the cutest thing I’ve seen today! Just shows how relaxed and at ease the Federer camp are during a match. @AustralianOpen #AusOpen #Rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/5CBv8iUYpg — Hugo McWilliam (@HugoMcWilliam) January 18, 2019 so lovely to see Federer's son applauding him. I remember watching Fed when he first won Wimbledon. #AustralianOpen2019 #love — Dr. instapsych, MD (@instapsych) January 18, 2019 Omg Federer’s son is here what a little cutie — federer updates (@gradicalz) January 18, 2019 However some were confused about whether it was Lenny or his twin Leo. Story continues Leo/Lenny already outta there. One day he might regret that 😁. — JanS 🇨🇦 (@serve4thematch) January 18, 2019 Leo or Lenny 🤔🤔🤔 https://t.co/qhTbo5nmoJ — David Rojas (@juandavidroja17) January 18, 2019 Federer confirmed it was Lenny in his post-match press interview, saying he was surprised when he looked up and saw him sitting there. “Back in the day it was about playing in front of your parents, then playing in front of your friends and famous people, then at the end it’s back to basics and playing in front of your family,” he said. “So for me it was a very special match and I’m happy Lenny was there in the front row.” Roger Federer laughed at Lenny after the match. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Federer was also caught off guard when he saw a replay of his coach mucking around with Lenny. “Good to see the coach being very serious,” he said with a laugh. Federer and wife Mirka actually have two sets of twins – Leo and Lenny (4) and Myla and Charlene (9). Mirka and the kids at the Wimbledon final in 2018. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) Third-straight Aus Open crown beckoning? Federer put on an absolute masterclass on Friday, making the round of 16 for the 17th time in his last 18 visits to Melbourne Park. Fritz, 16 years Federer’s junior, managed just 13 points in Federer’s first-set demolition when the No.3 seed served at 92 per cent and made just two unforced errors. The American picked up his act and pushed Federer in the second set, but when the big points arrived Federer was irrepressible. Fritz was literally spun out by Federer at one stage, doing a 360 rotation on court as he looked to return a surprising shot. Roger Federer in action. Image: Getty “I wanted to get out of the block quickly because I knew of the threat of Taylor,” Federer said. “I had extra focus to make sure I got off to that quick start. “I had a really good feeling out here today against someone who can be very dangerous in the future.” He will now take on Greek young gun Stefanos Tsitsipas, who overcame a mid-match meltdown to advance. with AAP<doc-sep>Switzerland´s Roger Federer celebrates his victory against Taylor Fritz of the US during their men´s singles match on day five of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 18, 2019/AFP MELBOURNE: Roger Federer had a special guest in his courtside box watching him beat Taylor Fritz on day five of the Australian Open – his son Lenny, and he stole the show. As the Swiss master was doing a courtside interview Lenny was more interested in poking his coach Ivan Ljubicic in the face. . . "There he goes. The coach is being very serious, I love that," Federer said. "I didn´t even know he (Lenny) was going to come to the stadium. For me it was a very special match and I´m happy Lenny was there." Federer has two sets of twins, two boys and two girls, with wife Mirka. The 37-year old beat the big-serving American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 to stay on track for a third successive title at Melbourne Park and a 21st Grand Slam crown.<doc-sep>Last updated on .From the section Tennis Australian Open 2019 Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 14-27 January Coverage: Daily live commentaries on the BBC Sport website, listen to Tennis Breakfast daily from 07:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and watch highlights on BBC TV and online from 19 January. Roger Federer delivered a serving masterclass to sweep aside American Taylor Fritz and reach the Australian Open fourth round. The defending champion won 6-2 7-5 6-2 under the roof on Rod Laver Arena at a rainy Melbourne Park. The Swiss third seed, 37, is aiming to become the first man to win seven Australian Open titles. Next up for him is Greek 14th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-4. Joining Federer in the next round is Czech former semi-finalist Tomas Berdych, who knocked out Argentine 16th seed Diego Schwartzman 5-7 6-3 7-5 6-4. Unseeded Berdych, who beat Britain's Kyle Edmund in the first round and has found his form after an injury-hit 2018, will play the winner of Friday's match between world number two Rafael Nadal and Australian Alex de Minaur. Federer serves up victory in style The Swiss was in a ruthless mood from the start, breaking Fritz's second and third service games on his way to a 5-1 lead. But it was on his own serve where the 20-time Grand Slam champion dominated, with Fritz taking just two points on the Federer serve in the first set. He sealed the set with an ace with just 20 minutes on the clock and carried on where he left off in the second with back-to-back holds to love. But the 21-year-old American began to apply a bit more pressure on Federer's serve midway through the second, taking him to deuce in the eighth game before losing his own serve three games later. From there Federer served for the set, once again wrapping it up with an ace - the eighth of his 10. Back-to-back breaks in the third sealed the fate of Fritz, who had shown glimpses of a promising future with his shot-making as well as an ability to laugh at himself when he fluffed an easy smash. "I wanted to get out the blocks quickly as I knew of the threat and his possibilities on the serve," said Federer, who was playing his 100th match on the Rod Laver Arena. "The second set was tough. There were a few chances but he protected his serve well and it was close. We had some good points and it was fun. I wish him all the best for the future." Cilic scrapes through into last 16 Sixth seed Marin Cilic saved two match points on his way to a five-set victory over 2009 semi-finalist Fernando Verdasco. The Croat, beaten in last year's final by Roger Federer, fought back from two sets down to win 4-6 3-6 6-1 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 in a match that lasted four hours 18 minutes and finished at 12.57am local time. In the fourth set tiebreak Cilic saved one match point with a huge serve into the corner before Verdasco double faulted on the second match point, hitting the net cord with his second serve. "It was definitely a tough tiebreak," said Cilic. "It came down to one shot, or basically one decision. I was a little bit lucky on that net cord. I was just slightly luckier in those crucial moments. "It was definitely a tough match, unbelievable." Murray conqueror Bautista Agut into another Grand Slam last 16 Cilic will next play Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat Andy Murray in the first round in what may have been the Briton's final match. The Spaniard, seeded 22nd, knocked out 10th seed Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-4 7-5 6-4. It is the fourth time Bautista Agut has made the fourth round of the Australian Open, but he has never made it past the last 16 in a Grand Slam, losing at that stage on 10 occasions. Elsewhere, 2017 semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov also won, with the Bulgarian beating Italian Thomas Fabbiano 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-4. Up next for Dimitrov is 20-year-old American Frances Tiafoe, who will be playing in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Tiafoe eliminated fifth seed Kevin Anderson on Wednesday in round two and fought back from two sets to one down on Friday to defeat Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3.<doc-sep>
Roger Federer backs Rafael Nadal to win majority of grand slams The Swiss legend’s four-year old son was in the player’s box at the Rod Laver Arena as Federer won 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 against American youngster Fritz. That sets the 37-year-old up with a clash with Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16 on Sunday. Federer’s family travel across the world with him to Grand Slams, with the world No 3 having twin daughters - Myla and Charlene - in 2009 and then twin sons, Leo and Lenny, in 2014 with his wife Mirka. And Lenny was present to watch him alongside his coach Ivan Ljubicic and Mirka up in the stands, with the star's children not often spotted inside the arenas. Talking on-court after his win, Federer was asked by Eurosport’s Jim Courier: “One thing that was interesting about this match that I don’t recall seeing, we’re watching your player’s box and one of your sons came out and watched the entire first set. “I can’t tell if it was Leo or Lenny because they’re twins but who was it and did you know he was going to come out and watch?” And Federer responded: “No I didn’t even know he was going to come to the stadium! “When I peaked over and he was sitting there I was like, ‘Oh wow, okay, an extra special guest for me!’ Roger Federer is into the fourth round in Melbourne One of Roger Federer's twin sons, Lenny, was in the Rod Laver Arena Lenny was in father Roger's player's box at the Rod Laver Arena “Back in the day it was playing in front of your parents, then playing in front of your friends is special, then famous people, musicians. “At the end playing in front of legends is a thrill and then it’s back to basics and playing in front of your family. “That’s what it was today. For me it was a very special match. I’m happy Lenny was there in the first set today.” And Federer - who won the Australian Open 12 months ago for his 20th success at a major - added on his victory: “I think I wanted to get out of the blocks quickly because I knew the threat of Taylor, his possibilities on the serve and what he could do on the return, especially second serve. “I think I had extra focus today to really make sure I got off to a good start and I did. Roger Federer beat USA's Taylor Fritz in straight sets Roger Federer has twin daughters and twin sons Trending