Four-time champion Roger Federer coasted into the Australian Open semi-finals with a straight-set defeat of unseeded Mischa Zverev in 92 minutes on Tuesday, January 24, in Melbourne.
The 35-year-old reached the last four in Melbourne for a 13th time with a 6-1 7-5 6-2 win over Zverev, who upset world number one Andy Murray on Sunday.
Federer, seeded 17th as he seeks an 18th Grand Slam title, faces compatriot Stan Wawrinka in the last four.
Fourth seed Wawrinka beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-2 earlier on Tuesday.
Wawrinka had won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2014 and has since added victories at the French Open in 2015 and the US Open last September.
The 31-year-old is rated by many as the favourite in Melbourne following surprise defeats for Murray and Novak Djokovic.
Federer, playing his first competitive event since Wimbledon six months ago following a knee injury, brushed aside Zverev with the minimum of fuss.
He blitzed through the first set in just 19 minutes, and soon leveled in the second when he was broken by the world number 50.
Federer won 23 of 32 points at the net (72 per cent) as he reached his 41st Grand Slam semi-final.
“My expectation was not to play Stan Wawrinka in the semis. I thought maybe I could get to the fourth round or quarters —- that’s what I told the Swiss press,” he said.
“For me to play against Stan, I have to play aggressive, the more time I give him the better he is. I’m happy he’s got this far but he doesn’t need to go a step further — Stan knows I’m joking.’’
Federer is the oldest men’s singles semi-finalist at the tournament since Arthur Ashe in 1978.
Also, he is the oldest at any Grand Slam since Jimmy Connors reached the 1991 US Open last four aged 39.
(Source: NAN)