Latest updates: Australian Open 2018, day eight at Melbourne Park

Switzerland's Roger Federer. photo / AP.

Rog seals it in three

Roger Federer advanced through to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 14th time with a clinical victory over Marton Fucsovics. The World No. 2 was taken to a tiebreak in the second set but was simply too good for his 25-year-old opponent as he wrapped the match up 6-4 7-6 6-2 in two hours.

Federer's post-match interview with Jim Courier had Melbourne Park in an uproar as the 19-time major winner realised his wife had departed the stadium before his chat with the Channel Seven commentator.

"So now you are done. It is almost 5:45pm. You will have press conferences, massage and all that stuff but you actually get a night off here. Is that dinner and dancing with Mirka?

What is the game plan for tonight?" Courier asked.

Federer: "(We'll) probably be busy until about 9pm. We might go out for a nice dinner

if she's in the mood ... but she has left already so she has other plans!"

9pm

(14) Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Hyeon Chung (KOR)

(20) Barbora Strycova (CZE) v (6) Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

MARGARET COURT ARENA

11am

(1) Latisha Chan (TPE)/Andrea Sestini Hlavackova (CZE) v (14) Hao-Ching Chan (TPE)/Katarina Srebotnik (SLO)

(25) Fabio Fognini (ITA) v (19) Tomas Berdych (CZE)

Viktorija Golubic (SUI)/Nina Stojanovic (SRB) v (5) Timea Babos (HUN)/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)

5pm

(1) Simona Halep (ROU) v Naomi Osaka (JPN)

HISENSE ARENA

12.30pm

(1) Lukasz Kubot (POL)/Marcelo Melo (BRA) v (16) Rajeev Ram (USA)/Divij Sharan (IND)

Ben McLachlan (JPN)/Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) v Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)/Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)

4pm

(5) Dominic Thiem (AUT) v Tennys Sandgren (USA)

You've got to be kidding

Roger Federer, take a bow.

Not many men in the history of tennis would be able to pull off a winner after being fed three smashes in the same rally — but then again not many men are Roger Federer.

The 36-year-old World No. 2 pulled off a piece of magic in the second set against Marton Fucsovics as the pair battled it out in their fourth round clash.

A top-edged return from Federer soared high into the sky before landing in Fucsovics' end of the court, prompting the Hungarian to smash what looked to be an easy winner into Federer's left corner.

The Swiss maestro was somehow able to get a hand to it and return the smash and ultimately took the point over the 25-year-old, who hit an unforced error.

Three smashes from Fucsovics- Federer returned each- Fucovics then put drop shot into the net.

Tennis hurts sometimes.#AusOpen

— Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) January 22, 2018

Freakish Fed takes the first

It took eight games before Roger Federer could break Marton Fucsovics but by no means is the Swiss maestro off his game today.

Federer pulled off one of the all time great shots against his Hungarian opponent, returning a backhand smash with a cheeky volley played behind his back.

He didn't win the rally — but it didn't matter after he broke the 25-year-old in the following game and proceeded to take the set 6-4.

Djokovic treated like 's***'

Former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has won the Australian Open more than any other male player in history and he's still been treated "like s***" this year, tennis legend John McEnroe believes.

As the scheduling controversy continues to swirl around Melbourne Park following questions surrounding Roger Federer's "leverage" over Open officials, McEnroe has declared the No. 14 seed deserves better from the tournament he's won six times.

Djokovic steps onto Rod Laver Arena on Monday night for just the second time this tournament. It will also be just his second night match.

Djokovic said he was "almost dead" after surviving his match against Gael Monfils where the mercury on court was reportedly recorded at 69C.

In a twist, however, McEnroe reckons the Open could actually be doing Djokovic a favour by forcing him to endure a first week from hell to toughen him up for the second week of the tournament.

"I don't know what it is about this year's Australian Open but it seems every day comes with a new controversy," McEnroe told Eurosport.

"This time, it is the alleged preferential treatment of Roger Federer that has sent the media into a frenzy.

"Fact. Roger Federer asked to play at night. Fact. Roger has played all three of his matches in the cooler night slot on the Rod Laver Arena.

"Fact: Novak Djokovic did not request a specific time slot for his matches. Fact: Novak Djokovic played his first two matches during the day, one of them in the blistering summer sun.

"Roger, not Novak, is the golden goose of tennis!"

The Commissioner of Tennis wades in on the alleged "preferential treatment" of the GOAT pic.twitter.com/F5CS3fpOmD

— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 21, 2018

"Just like that we have the choir of journalists and Djokovic fans singing the all too familiar tune "it is not fair."

"Stop. Fake news alert. The truth is much more simple than that. Scheduling decisions are also business decisions.

"Roger, not Novak, is the golden goose of tennis and he gets to play on the biggest stage in front of the biggest audience whenever he wants.

"Plain and simple. Is it fair? I don't know and I don't care. Life isn't fair.

"I actually think the organisation is doing him a favour by treating him like s***. The guy feeds on adversity.

"I actually think this reversed 'preferential treatment' might actually help him."

Aussie tennis great Pat Cash also told Eurosport Federer has been given an unfair advantage.

"It has caused a bit of controversy actually. It's one of those tricky things," Cash said.

"Does Federer get an unfair advantage? Yeah, he probably does, but does he deserve the unfair advantage? Yeah he probably does.

"It has been a bonus to stay out those two stinking hot days."

Kyrgios determined, focused for 2018

A newly-focused Nick Kyrgios left the 2018 Australian Open happy with his overall performance after his fighting four-set loss to Grigor Dimitrov. The No.3 seed resisted a spirited fightback from Kyrgios to end Australia's singles hopes at Melbourne Park with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) fourth- round win on Sunday night.

Kyrgios was wildly applauded as he left Rod Laver Arena after the intense struggle, in stark contrast to last year's exit when he was booed off court after his controversial second-round loss to Andreas Seppi.

There were occasional signs of Kyrgios' fiery temper, but the hard-fought loss was arguably the most mature display under pressure of his career. "I just feel like I'm trying to get better," Kyrgios said.

"There were periods where I stepped on the court last year where I was just doing it for the sake of doing it.

"I feel a lot better this time around. Last year I really didn't know what I was going to do after the Australian Open.

"I feel like I have more of a vision and goal for this year. I think I'm in a good head space." The incredibly tight tussle ended with Dimitrov winning a total of 157 points to Kyrgios' 156.

The combatants embraced warmly at the net after Dimitrov clinched a quarterfinal berth against Briton Kyle Edmund.

"I just told him to believe in himself," Kyrgios revealed.

"Sometimes I think he lacks a bit of belief. But I think he's got the game and he's proved to everyone that he can win one of these slams." While Kyrgios' Australian summer - that included a win in the Brisbane International final - has him bullish about the year head, it seems finding a coach isn't on the agenda.

"I've lost one match this year, so I'm doing all right," he said. "I like kind of doing things on my own terms. I just like the freedom." The 22-year-old will take a few days to relax and recover from the Open before heading into camp for Australia's Davis Cup tie against Germany in Brisbane.