Federer picks off Zverev to reach Melbourne semis

Chasing his 18th grand slam title, and first since 2012, the 35-year-old Federer neutered his left-handed German opponent’s serve-and-volley game to set up a last-four meeting with fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka. Zverev had upset world number one and top seed Andy Murray in the fourth round but found Federer an altogether tougher proposition on Rod Laver Arena, losing the first set in 19 minutes before gradually finding the rhythm of the match. The world number 50 contributed fully to an entertaining, if short, contest with his fine volleying and net play but Federer is no slouch in that department either and his 65th winner sent him into a 41st grand slam semi-final.

Former champion Stan Wawrinka engaged in a war of words with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before winning the only argument that mattered on Tuesday, storming into the semi-finals with a 7-6(2) 6-4 6-3 win over the Frenchman. 

Wawrinka bickered heatedly with the 12th seed during a change of ends after the first set before putting his aggression to better use, wrapping up the one-sided match in two hours and 15 minutes on a sun-bathed Rod Laver Arena. 

Fourth seed Wawrinka will battle either compatriot Roger Federer for a place in the final. Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, put in his most complete performance of the tournament against Tsonga, sending 41 sweetly struck winners whistling past the out-of-sorts Frenchman, a former finalist but a shadow of his usual energetic self. 

Tsonga put up some stout resistance early in the match but that crumbled in the first set tiebreak when he elected not to play at a blazing backhand pass. It landed flush in the corner, giving Wawrinka four set points and Tsonga folded on the first of them.