The win was all the more remarkable given Federer seemed to have found his best form in the second set after losing a first-set tie-break.

He broke Roddick three times in the second and was on course to do so again in the start of the fourth, but the American saved four break points before going on to take the set.

Federer said on uk.eurosport.yahoo.com: “I had my chances, I thought Andy did well to get the first set and then put me in the situation in the third.

“He served really well, played aggressive and had a clutch serve when he needed it.

“It was a great night for him and for American tennis, I guess, but it was tough for me. It was a close match that didn’t go my way.”

World number one Novak Djokovic booked his place in the fourth round with a straightforward 6-3 6-4 victory over fellow Serbian Viktor Troicki.

Djokovic needed one hour and 25 minutes to see off his compatriot, seizing his solitary break-point opportunity in the first set and breaking Troicki twice in the second despite also dropping his own serve.

Fifth seed David Ferrer was also a straight-sets winner, beating Julien Benneteau 7-6 (7/5) 6-4, while eighth seed Mardy Fish produced a dominant serving performance to see off South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-3.

Richard Gasquet had to rally to see off Spain’s Albert Ramos 6-2 5-7 6-3 in a match lasting more than two and a half hours, while in an all-Spanish clash 12th seed Nicolas Almagro beat Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-4.

There were also wins for Juan Martin Del Potro and Juan Monaco.

In the women’s event, world number one Victoria Azarenka came from a set and two breaks down to keep her winning run going by beating 16th seed Dominika Cibulkova 1-6 7-6 (9/7) 7-5.

After coming from 4-0 down to win the second set on a tie-break, Azarenka needed four breaks in the third to seal her 26th straight victory in two hours and 47 minutes.

She told www.sonyericssonopen.com: “I have to give all the credit to her, because she played some splendid tennis, just amazing.

“She was hitting every possible line there was. It kind of felt like she closed her eyes and just went for everything, and me, I couldn’t just really open my eyes. I was like blinded a little bit.”

Serena Williams continued to step up her comeback with an impressive 7-5 6-3 win over sixth seed Sam Stosur.

Williams needed one hour and 46 minutes to wrap up victory, breaking the Australian five times.

Next up for Williams in fourth Caroline Wozniacki, a 7-6 (8/6) 6-0 winner over Yanina Wickmayer.

Sister Venus, meanwhile, also progressed as her own impressive comeback continued with a 6-7 (4/7) 6-2 6-2 win over 15th seed Ana Ivanovic.

Second seed Maria Sharapova beat fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 7-6 (7-3), while fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat Spanish wild card Garbine Muguruza Blanco 6-3 6-4.

French Open champion Li Na came from behind to defeat Germany’s Sabine Lisicki 3-6 6-4 6-2, and seventh seed Marion Bartoli needed just 66 minutes to dispatch Maria Kirilenko 6-1 6-2.