By Zjan Shirinian

Roger Federer is through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, after beating Andy Murray in four sets ©Getty Images January 22 - Roger Federer is continuing to roll back the years in Melbourne after powering his way past Andy Murrary to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.


The Swiss number six seed beat Murrary 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 in almost three-and-a-half hours of intense tennis.

Britain's Murray, who has reached the Australian Open final three times, faced match points in the third set tiebreak before winning it 8-6.

But the 17-time Grand Slam champion ultimately had too much for Murrary.

Federer will now play number one seed Rafael Nadal for a place in the final, in what promises to be a classic encounter between two titans of the game.

Nadal, who missed last year's Open through injury, is aiming for his second title in Melbourne, while Federer is bidding to add to his 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2010 titles.

The Spaniard secured his place in the last four with a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-2 win over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

The other semi-final will feature Novak Djokovic's conqueror Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland, and Czech Tomas Berdych.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska is through to the last four of the Australian Open Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska is through to the last four of the Australian Open after beating number two seed Victoria Azarenka ©AFP/Getty Images



In the women's draw, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, winner of the title for the last two years, was knocked out in her quarter-final against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, who won 6-1, 5-7, 6-0.

She will now play Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, who defeated Romania's Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0.

The other semi-final will be contested between Li Na of China and Eugenie Bouchard of Canada.

Both these semi finals, and the Wawrinka versus Berdych match, will be played tomorrow. 

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