Roger Federer
Roger Federer of Switzerland serves in his second round match against Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine during day three of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on  20 January in Melbourne, Australia. Getty

Roger Federer takes on Grigor Dimitrov in the third round of the 2016 Australian Open on Friday, 22 January as he looks to end his title drought iat the Grand Slams. Last year, the Swiss made way in the third round to Andreas Seppi but is more confident coming into the fixture this time around, having worked on overall improvement of his game under new coach Ivan Ljubicic.

Where to Watch Live

The match starts at 4am GMT. Live coverage will be available on Eurosport 1, Eurosport 1 HD, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport HD.. Live scores and real-time internet updates are available on the Australian Open official website.

Overview

Federer comes into the game on the back of an impressive victory over Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 in the second round, with improvements in his serve and defence quite noticeable under the new coach. He slammed 25 aces and won 88% of points on his first serve to power his way into the next round.

The Swiss legend will need all his talent and experience to get the better of Dimitrov, who was in the top 10 rankings as early as February last year, but dropped off after a difficult 2015. Federer's last Grand Slam win came in Wimbledon in 2012 and the Swiss maestro will be keen to prove his detractors wrong in the current year.

Over the years, Dimitrov has shown that he is a tricky opponent to face and on his day can upset the best in the business with his range of shots and athleticism. The Bulgarian made hard work of his round two opponent, Marco Trungellitiin, in four sets but is getting back into the groove and could pose a tough challenge to Federer and end his quest for an 18th Grand Slam title.

Federer got the better of Dimitrov recently in the Brisbane Open. The 24-year-old will be looking for some payback when the duo meet at the Melbourne Park.

Betting Odds (888Sport)

  • Federer Win: 1/9
  • Dimitrov Win: 6

Head to Head

The duo have met each other four times in all tournaments, with Federer keeping a clean sweep at 4-0.

Roger Federer Australian Open