Berdych beats Bautista Agut in five sets to reach quarters

World number six Tomas Berdych outlasted Roberto Bautista Agut in five tough sets on Sunday to set up an Australian Open quarter-final against either Roger Federer or David Goffin. The Czech Republic's Berdych finally put away the Spaniard 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in three hours, 18 minutes to reach the last eight at Melbourne Park for a sixth straight year. Berdych has been a semi-finalist for the last two years in Melbourne and the Australian Open has proved the Czech's most successful Grand Slam based on match wins, now standing at 38-12. It was Berdych's fourth win in six meetings with Bautista Agut, who upset former US Open champion and 12th seed Marin Cilic to reach the round of 16. It was a battle for Berdych on Margaret Court Arena having his service broken four times, but he also broke the Spaniard's serve four times off a total of 22 break points. The Czech hit a total of 66 winners, 28 of them off his signature forehand along with 18 aces, and dominated the battle at the net. Berdych took his career five-set record to 18-8 as he gears for a possible tilt at Federer after losing to Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka in semi-finals in the last two years. "I always try to prepare the best I can and try to play well and the results are the proof and I am going to try to do the same for the rest of the tournament," Berdych said. "I think this is my best base start to the year. It's a good one so far, I've got past the first week and now all the focus is on the second week."