Federer, Djokovic in semis showdown

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP): Roger Federer edged closer to a showdown with Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Stanislas Wawrinka yesterday in an all-Swiss quarter-final.

Defending champion Federer faced just one break point, winning all 13 of his service games and polished off his Beijing Olympics doubles gold medallist teammate in one hour, 47 minutes.

"When it's clicking it's really a good feeling and I don't ask too many questions," Federer said of his dominant serve.

All facets of Federer's game were working yesterday as he advanced to a semi-final against Novak Djokovic, who beat him here in 2008 en route to the Australian Open title.

No. 3-ranked Djokovic overpowered Tomas Berdych 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-1 in a night match at Rod Laver Arena.

"I was trying to change the pace, put him out of the comfort zone," Djokovic said. "When he is in his comfort zone, he is a very difficult player, hits very strong, he has powerful strokes, powerful serve. So I needed to put some variety in the game."

He's liking his chances in the semi-finals.

Good chance

"If I continue playing like this, I think I have a good chance," Djokovic said. "But in the next match I have Federer. We all know he is the best player ever, so we all know it is going to be tough."

Still in the realm of probability for the defending champion Federer is a final against top-ranked Nadal and a chance to prevent the Spanish left-hander from winning his fourth consecutive Grand Slam. No man has held all four major titles since Rod Laver in 1969.

Nadal plays fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in one quarter-final today, while Andy Murray takes on Alexandr Dolgopolov in the other.

Federer is not looking ahead to Nadal just yet.

"It's normal to follow Rafa in a big way because he's going for something particularly very special," Federer said. "My focus is not playing him in the finals quite yet. He still has to win a few matches against really tough players ahead of him. I got my hands full - I'm not quite there."

Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki is nearly there, advancing to a semi-final against China's Li Na. The 20-year-old Danish player was under intense pressure early against French Open champion Francesca Schiavione before beating the Italian veteran 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Semi-finals

Li advanced to the semi-finals for the second year in a row at Melbourne Park after beating Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-2, 6-4.

The other women's semi-finalists will be decided today when second-seeded Vera Zvonareva plays Petra Kvitova and US Open champion Kim Clijsters takes on Agnieszka Radwanska.

Wozniacki rallied from a set and a break down to beat Schiavone and ensure she'd maintain the No. 1 ranking after this tournament.

Schiavone dominated the opening set and a half before the effects of her previous match kicked in. She beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in a three-set match lasting four hours, 44 minutes, a record for a women's Grand Slam singles match.

"Maybe in the third set I felt a little bit something physically, but it's not an excuse," Schiavone said. "I think I gave the best that I could do."

Wozniacki described Schiavone as a "fighter".

"She started off really, really well and I didn't feel like I had the right timing," Wozniacki said. "So it was difficult for me in the beginning, but I fought back and I'm so happy that I'm standing here as the winner."