By Alastair Himmer
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Andy Roddick has enough trouble dealing with Roger Federer but on Sunday even Switzerland's second best tennis player proved beyond him as Stanislas Wawrinka humbled the American 6-3 6-4 6-4.
Wawrinka, the 19th seed, produced a stunning performance that 16-times grand slam champion Federer will be wary of when he meets his friend and Olympic doubles gold medal partner he refers to as "Stan" in the quarter-finals.
Roddick could make no impression and was out-aced 24-9 as Wawrinka ensured the a first grand slam quarter-final between two Swiss men since the sport turned professional.
"I'm playing my best tennis ever," Wawrinka told reporters after extending his winning streak to eight matches to match his quarter-final run at last year's U.S. Open.
"Everything is right with my game."
"We know when he's playing his best tennis it's always tough to beat him. I will try to be focused on what I want to do."
"You already have your story written, so it doesn't matter what I say," Roddick told reporters when quizzed on his country's poor performance here. "It obviously wasn't the showing that we wanted, you know, but I'm doing what I can."
The 25-year-old Wawrinka broke for 5-3 in the first set with a drilled pass down the line from one of the best single-handed backhands in tennis and he never took a backward step.
WEARY BACKHAND
Roddick was a fraction slower than his unshaven opponent, who had too many ideas and executed his shots superbly.
"I'm glad I finished healthy," Roddick, who spent much of last year battling injury and illness, said. "First tournament I've done that for a long time.
"But, you know, there's certainly some work to be done. I've got to figure out in kind of slower conditions how I can impose myself on some of those guys."
(Editing by Martyn Herman)
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