Federer Outclasses Berdych to Reach Australian Open Semis

Novak Djokovic has comprehensively dismantled Japanese rising star Kei Nishikori on the ninth night of the Australian Open, setting up a blockbuster semi-final with Swiss legend Roger Federer.

Another ominous fact facing the Pole is that every time defending champion Williams has got past the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park, she has gone on to win the tournament.

Djokovic’s mark is nearly as good – he’s 5-0 in semifinals, and in finals, in the season’s first major.

Nevertheless, Djokovic knows the danger posed by the 17-time Grand Slam champion, who romped past Tomas Berdych earlier on Tuesday to reach his 12th Australian Open semifinal.

If past history is anything to go by, then Djokovic could hold a winning record against Federer for the first time in the rivalry.

Sharapova has not beaten Williams since back-to-back victories in 2004, when she led their rivalry 2-1.

“It was super intense”, said Williams. “It’s part of the reason why I’m still playing”, Federer said.

“At this level you’re always asking a lot from yourself”.

This match had loomed as a potentially tricky match-up for the Swiss, who had lost to Berdych in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2010 and the US Open in 2012.

Not only has Sharapova failed to beat Williams in 12 years she has struggled even to stretch her, winning only three sets during her losing streak. “She was really explosive off the return.

Williams had medical treatment between sets, and again in the second during a changeover, but it wasn’t clear what the problem was. Despite more than 11 years in between, Sharapova isn’t giving up hope of breaking that drought.

“When I play her, I know automatically I have to step up my game”. She makes you work.

Either way, Federer is now just two wins away from his 18th Grand Slam. The Serb has won their past two semi-final meetings at the Australian Open and has won their last three meetings at Grand Slam level, all in finals (Wimbledon 2014 and 2015, and the 2015 US Open). “I’ve done that. I knew that I’m going to play against an opponent that plays very fast – faster than Simon – that makes also more unforced errors”.

Djokovic has caused his share of pain for Federer since overtaking him in the rankings.

With Nishikori committing plenty of mistakes, the world number one hammered home his advantage by gleefully accepting two break points in the first game of the second set.

“That was a goal, to decrease the unforced errors ratio, ” Djokovic said, smiling. “In important moments I stayed composed — overall it was a very solid performance.“I have to be satisfied — I reached (the) semifinals.

“I have to be satisfied, I reached (the) semifinals”.

“There was no concern for me that I would not feel the ball today”. Berdych has been in good form in Melbourne, knocking out Nick Kyrgios and Roberto Bautista Agut in earlier rounds, and it is a testament to the 34-year-old’s confidence that he won with so much to spare. That’s why I was so happy we could win not only all these slams together, but Davis Cup one and a half years ago, whatever it is now.

In the women’s doubles, Sania and Hingis defeated the German-American combine of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Coco Vandeweghe 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.