Roger Federer said after his impressive straight-sets victory over Juan Martin del Potro on Tuesday that a strong start and then holding serve to take the second set were the keys to his progression to the Australian Open semi-finals.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion, who has hoisted the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup four times at Melbourne Park, knew heading back into a daytime match in the heat against his 2009 US Open conqueror would be tough.
But start strongly he did as he broke in the second game of the match and then again for a second time - after being broken himself - to take the opening set.
"I guess for me it was more trying to get used to the day conditions again, make sure the ball doesn't fly on me, and sort of get used to his pace and make sure I don't have any hiccups in my own sort of service games, really," said Federer after the 6-4 6-3 6-2 win.
"Because I mean, (I know) how Juan Martin plays, he knows how I play (and) we have played some big matches against each other."
"So just knowing how well he's been playing as of late, I was just hoping that I would get off a good start."
"But I was able to mix it up well and control the ball, and right away sort of felt confident, which then sort of helped me to use all aspects of my game."
The other key occasion for Federer was what proved to be the final game of the second set as he came back from 15-40 down and then saved two more break points before eventually holding for a two-set lead.
"Then it got tough with the shadow creeping in, and I knew that was going to happen rather sooner than later just because the matches before me took some time," he added.
"I knew it was going to happen eventually."
"That's why the second set, serving out the second set was key for me."
"(I) got through that tough patch, and then in the third it was a bit more free-swinging for me."
Federer will now play either world No.2 Rafael Nadal, who leads their head-to-head count 19-9 overall and won their only previous meeting at Melbourne Park in the 2009 decider, or Czech No.7 seed Tomas Berdych.
And having 'entertained' himself keeping half an eye on the progress of the other leading male players so far at the tournament when he wasn't playing or training, Federer will pay a lot more attention ahead of what he hopes will be another meeting with Nadal.
"So for me it's another great match with Rafa potentially, but he's got a tough task with Berdych first," Federer said.
"But obviously I'd like to play Rafa because of our great epic match earlier in the finals here a few years ago."
"I'd like to get a chance to play him again here."
With Rod Laver back in Melbourne for the latter stages of the tournament, Federer also admitted post-match that he still has moments of his own where he is in awe of the company he occasionally keeps with greats of the game.
"I love it when former greats come out and sort of not watch me but watch us sort of play," he said.
"I think it's very nice."
"I saw Roy Emerson also today sitting there all of