Melbourne, January 21:

It was back to business as usual for Roger Federer on Monday as he clinically moved into an Australian Open quarter-final against James Blake, with Venus Williams also working up a head of steam.

The world number one rebounded from his uncharacteristic five-set scare in the third round to resume his sprint towards a 13th Grand Slam title with a 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 win over Czech Tomas Berdych. Any concerns over his physical state quickly disappeared despite being behind in the second set tiebreaker against the 13th seed, who beat him at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The Swiss top seed now plays American 12th seed Blake who had an equally convincing win over unseeded Croatian Marin Cilic, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. But it was curtains for Australia’s last hope Lleyton Hewitt, who was crushed by Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.

In the other fourth round match, fifth seed David Ferrer won the all-Spanish battle with 22nd seed Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 and will now play Djokovic. Rafael Nadal, Jarkko Nieminen, Mikhail Youzhny and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are already through.

Venus Williams ensured her sixth Australian Open quarter-final appearance after seeing off an unexpectedly strong challenge from Polish qualifier Marta Domachowska 6-4, 6-4. Another Pole, Agnieszkesa Radwanska, is also safely through after upsetting 14th seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 1-6, 7-5, 6-0. Radwanska will meet ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova, who beat 27th seed Maria Kirilenko.

Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic fill out the quarter-final line-up. Williams, a six-time Grand Slam champion still searching for her first Australian title, had her right leg heavily strapped high up around the thigh, but she said it was nothing major. She next plays fourth seed Serbian Ana Ivanovic, a 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) winner over Caroline Wozniacki.