It was billed as Roger’s Weekend at Bernie’s but Rod Laver Arena remains very much Federer’s house.
No man has won more Open crowns at Melbourne Park than Federer and the Swiss master put paid to the Australian apprentice’s immediate title ambitions with a sublime display on Saturday night.
Tomic’s 10 straight wins this summer may have instilled the local hope with unshakeable belief, but it counted for nothing as Federer swept imperiously to a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 victory in less than two hours.
Tomic was anything but poor, at times looking every bit the future grand slam champion he believes he is, but the great Swiss had every answer in a high-quality third-round contest.
It was Federer’s fourth win from as four meetings with Tomic and only Tomic’s fourth loss from his past 27 matches in Australia.
But just like in the fourth round last year and in Davis Cup in Sydney in 2011, it was Federer who brought the young upstart down.
Only Canadian Milos Raonic, who Federer has never lost to either, stands between the 17-times major champion and a 35th consecutive grand slam quarter-final appearance.
Bidding for an unprecedented fifth men’s Open title, Federer snared the only three breaks of the match and offered up just one break point on his own serve in a commanding performance.
Tomic had won 76 consecutive service games and claimed to be in the best serving form of his career – yet Federer broke him in the opening game of the match.
It was the only break Federer needed as he powered through the first set in 34 minutes.
Tomic had to fight tooth and nail to stay in the second set, saving further break points in his first two service games and then staving off a total of four mini set points in the 10th and 12th games.
In the tiebreaker, Tomic produced a brilliant running forehand to jump to a 4-1 advantage and seemed poised to level the match up.
But from 5-3 down, Federer reeled off four consecutive points to take a stranglehold on the third-round contest.
It was vintage Federer who broke Tomic for a 2-0 advantage in the second set.
In the rally of the match, a free-wheeling Tomic had Federer stretching from side to side before luring the second seed to the net with a deft backhand half-volley drop.
Against virtually anyone else, Tomic’s shot was a winner, but Federer not only reached it but swatted it crosscourt for a breathtaking winner of his own.
Federer was in full flight now, grabbing the double break with an off-forehand winner and serving it out after one hour and 58 minutes to record his 250th grand slam match win.