Federer is not invincible, shows Tipsarevic

MELBOURNE: Roger Federer's emergence as an undisputed monarch of the game has left other players in the tennis circuit wondering how to challenge the Swiss's  upremacy.

The unseeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic, the player who came closest to beating Federer Saturday since Russian Marat Safin did the business in the semi-finals here three years ago, has declared that the key was to go on court believing that the Swiss, who has won 12 Grand Slams, could be beaten.

"You have to understand that every time when you have a chance, you don't have to play something extreme ... (don't) try to overplay," Tipsarevic was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Tipsarevic's advice might come handy for 12th seed American James Blake, who will play defending champion Federer in the quarterfinal Wednesday. Blake, who has a 0-7 win-loss record against the Swiss is aware of the daunting task that lay ahead of him.

But Tipsarevic's close encounter with Federer has helped Blake to be positive and has acted as a "reminder that everyone is human".

"It can raise my spirits to know I can do the same. Janko taking him to 10-8 in the fifth shows that it doesn't matter who you are, you can take him to the limit," Blake said.