MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):

For two sets it looked like Roger Federer's run at a record 14th Grand Slam title was going to be derailed by Tomas Berdych at the Australian Open.

Then the 6-foot-5 (1.96-metre) Czech had a meltdown and Federer swooped, recovering for a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win yesterday - only his fourth career comeback from two sets down - to reach the quarter-finals.

"You've got to hang in there, there's no other solution," Federer said. "He was hitting the ball so heavy and so hard. He pushed me to the limit."

Novak Djokovic wasn't pushed until he took a 5-0 lead, then had to work all the way for a 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (5), 6-2 victory over 2006 runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.

The atmosphere was more like a football match, with large contingents from Melbourne's Greek and Serbian communities loudly cheering between points in the match that finished at 2:26 a.m.

"It's never easy to play the second week of a Grand Slam, especially against a great player like Marcos," Djokovic said. "It wasn't easy, we had to wait (to start) for a couple of hours. But I'm happy I got through in four sets."

Baghdatis holds the record for the latest finishing match at the Australian Open, his five-set, third-round loss to Lleyton Hewitt last year finishing at 4:34 a.m.

"My objective was to make it to the second week - I made it by about three hours," Baghdatis said.

STRAIGHT SETS LOSS

Djokovic's fellow Serb, women's No. 1-ranked Jelena Jankovic, lost in the fourth round, going down in straight sets to 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli in the day's first match on Rod Laver Arena. And, No. 3, Dinara Safina had a narrow escape, saving match points before fending off another French player, Alize Cornet, in three.

A major upset result loomed in the late afternoon when 20th-seeded Berdych was on top for the first two sets, working Federer around with powerful forehands to keep the Swiss star on the defensive. He made almost half of his 58 winners in the first two sets and consistently targeted Federer's backhand with his powerful, kicking serve.

But Federer started finding his range. He got the deciding break in the third set when Berdych, visibly tightening, dropped a 40-0 lead and made unforced errors on three open court volleys.

"I remember I was against the wind and to get the break then was crucial," Federer said. "Anyway, I came back and I guess that really gave me momentum."

In the fourth set, Berdych recovered from double break point to deuce and Federer got another break point on a close line call. Berdych wanted to challenge, but no replay was available due to a technical glitch, so the call stood. Berdych argued with the chair umpire to no avail with the crowd breaking out in jeers, then netted a forehand to fall behind for the only break of the set.

Federer led 4-0 in the fifth but, serving at 5-2, nervously squandered double match point then double-faulted to give Berdych a break chance.

He forced deuce, fired back-to-back aces - the last was No. 20 for the match - then leapt in the air with a big "yes!"

"I enjoy those kind of fights. It doesn't happen all the time," said Federer. "I hope it's a good omen."

Federer has won 13 Grand Slam singles titles, one short of Pete Sampras' all-time record of 14.

He next plays No. 8 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who advanced 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 over No. 19 Marin Cilic of Croatia.

The last time Federer rallied from 0-2 to win in five was against Rafael Nadal at Miami in 2005.

TO MEET RODDICK

Djokovic meets No. 7 Andy Roddick in the quarters after the American ousted No. 21 Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.

Safina, who was down 5-3 and 40-15 with Cornet serving for the match, rallied to win 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time.

"I am so lucky that I'm in the quarter-finals, she was one point away," said Safina, who had eight double faults and 52 unforced errors.

She'll next play 187th-ranked Jelena Dokic, a 2000 Wimbledon semi-finalist with a career-high No. 4 ranking who is in her first Grand Slam event in three years. The local favourite beat Alisa Kleybanova 7-5, 5-7, 8-6. Kleybanova upset 2008 runner-up Ana Ivanovic in the previous round.

Bartoli was the aggressor in a 6-1, 6-4 win over Jankovic that wasn't entirely unexpected.

"I had a slow start. I let my opponent completely come on top of me and play her game," Jankovic said.

The 23-year-old Serb remains without a Grand Slam singles title and could also be without the No. 1 ranking in another week. If Safina wins, she'll top the rankings after the season's first major.