Djokovic Reflects on Historic Win

World number one Novak Djokovic has labelled his historic Australian Open win against close rival Rafael Nadal as the greatest moment of his career.

Djokovic outlasted 10-time Grand Slam winner Nadal to clinch an epic five-setter that went five hours 53 minutes.

"It was the longest Grand Slam final of all time. Just hearing that fact makes me cry," said the emotional Serbian.

"Wimbledon is right up there because it is the tournament I always wanted to win. But this comes out on top."

Defending champion Djokovic lifted the title for the third time after Sunday's 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 success against second seed Nadal.

It moved the 24-year-old alongside Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Mats Wilander as the only Open-era players to have achieved a hat-trick of successes.

Djokovic said: "I am very proud to be a part of history, to be among the elite group of players who have won this trophy several times.

"I had lots of chances to finish the match in the fourth, but he came up with some incredible serves and incredible points.

"So he deserved to prolong the match in the fifth set, and then really both of us could have won the match.

"Even when I was 4-2 down I still pushed myself up to the limit.

"I'm sure any other tennis player would say the same. We live for these matches.

"We're trying to dedicate all our life to this sport, to come to the situation where we play a six-hour match for a Grand Slam title."

Djokovic reached the Melbourne final after overcoming breathing and injury problems in his quarter-final victory over David Ferrer.

He also appeared to struggle physically during his semi-final defeat of Britain's Andy Murray, in a match which lasted four hours 50 minutes.

But he managed to outlast Nadal in an exhausting encounter before falling to the floor in celebration following his winning point.

"I overcame everything," said the Serb. "That's the most important thing for me. And to be able to mentally hang in there.

"It was obvious on the court for everybody who has watched the match that both of us, physically, took the last drop of energy that we had from our bodies.

"It was just the matter of maybe luck in some moments and a matter of wanting this more than maybe other players in the certain point. It's just an incredible effort."

Nadal, aiming for his second Australian Open title after beating Roger Federer in the 2009 final, said the epic encounter was one of the toughest matches of his career.

"We played a nice tennis match, it was a very good show and I enjoyed being a part of it," said the Spaniard.

"I wanted to win but I am happy with how I did."

When asked if he would watch a re-run of the match, Nadal joked: "No, it's too long. Just the highlights."

Djokovic Wins Epic in Melbourne

The planned four week break by Rafael Nadal could not come at a better time after World number one Novak Djokovic claimed his third straight major championship after defeating the Mallorcan in an epic - and very memorable - Australian Open final in Melbourne.

The very competitive match drained everyone court side, as well as the millions viewing worldwide. But none more so than Nadal, who did everything in his power -except win.

Djokovic, who won Wimbledon and the US Open last year as well as the title in Melbourne 12 months ago, kept his crown by overcoming the 10-time Grand Slam champion in a five-set thriller 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 (5/7) 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena after five hours and 53 minutes.

The match was almost an hour longer than the 1988 US Open final between Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl and also beat the Australian Open record of 5hr 14min set by Nadal and Fernando Verdasco in 2009.

And the Serbian becomes only the fifth man in the Open Era to win three straight slams, joining Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and his opponent Nadal on the list.

The 24-year-old Djokovic tore off his shirt in celebration at the end after one of the most dramatic finals in the history of the game.

Nadal claimed the early initiative by winning the first set against the world number one. The momentum shifted one way and then the other but a break in the 11th game proved crucial as the Spaniard took it 7-5 after a gruelling hour and 20 minutes as neither player settled to their best tennis.

Djokovic hit back after making a strong start to the second set and eventually made the breakthrough at 2-1 courtesy of a fantastic low volley which landed on the baseline.

The right-hander from Belgrade maintained his dominance thanks to two solid holds although he failed to serve out the set, allowing Nadal to break to make it 5-4, but the Mallorcan could not cope with the pressure and a double fault on Djokovic's fourth set point levelled matters.

Djokovic was dictating from the baseline with Nadal's points coming mainly from errors from his opponent in the third set.

And the pressure finally told on Nadal when a whipped winning forehand saw Djokovic break for a 3-1 lead.

The French Open champion clung on to his serve at 4-2. But there was to be no reprieve with Nadal 5-2 down. Djokovic surged to 0-40 and claimed another break and the set with a blistering forehand down the line.

The world number two was showing all his customary grit in the fourth set but at 4-4 the forecast rain arrived, forcing the players to take a short break while the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed.

When play resumed, the set went to a tie-break and although it ebbed and flowed, Nadal set up a set point at 6-5 and he clinched it when Djokovic put a forehand into the tramlines.

Nadal seemed to be on top in the fifth and final set and went up a break at 4-2 with Djokovic seeming to be wilting in the awful humidity.

But the Serb, who needed almost five hours to win his semi-final against Andy Murray, somehow responded. He broke for a 6-5 lead and saved a break point before holding his nerve to serve out the match and join the list of greats.

Courtesy Sky Sports

Nadal Chooses Aggressive Plan

Rafael Nadal is aiming to play more aggressively against Novak Djokovic when they meet in the Australian Open men's final on Sunday.

The Spaniard has lost his last six matches against the world number one, twice in major finals in 2011.

Nadal, who finished runner-up to the Serb at last year's Wimbeldon and US Open, said: "I am trying to play a bit more aggressive and hit more winners.

"The improvement I want is not complete so I need time to play with this plan."

The second seed was usurped at the top of the world rankings last July in a remarkable year that saw Djokovic end 2011 with 10 titles, including three of the four Grand Slams.

Nadal has beaten the Serb in 16 of their 29 meetings but Djokovic has had the upper hand in recent encounters, and Nadal admitted he was unsure whether the improvements to his game would be enough to inflict a first Australian Open final defeat on the 24-year-old.

"I probably need a few more months and a few more tournaments," said the Spaniard, who won the Australian Open in 2009.

"I am happy with how I am doing but I don't know if it's going to be enough against him.

"I need to play a little better, in my opinion, to have a chance.

"I got here by beating the sixth best player [Tomas Berdych] and the number three [Roger Federer]. So it's a fantastic way to start the season but now is another big, big test.

"I don't know if I am ready to win the match but I am going to fight for it."

Djokovic, bidding to become the fifth man to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles, had breathing problems during his victories over David Ferrer and Andy Murray in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.

"I've seen the doctor and I've talked with some people," he said.

"I've also talked with a couple of players who have had little allergy problems this year in Australia for some reason, ones they didn't have in the last couple of years. I suppose that's my problem."

He said it would be difficult to predict the winner of the final, given Nadal's impressive performance in the semi-final against Federer.

"It was an incredible effort from Rafa to come back and he played some incredible passing shots," said Djokovic of Nadal's four-set win over 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer.

"That's why he's a champion and one of the best players to ever play this game. He never gives up, has a great fighting spirit and very few weaknesses.

"He's eager and motivated to win the title, like I am. It's unpredictable as to what's going to happen."

Norfolk Wins Quad Singles

Britain's Peter Norfolk won his fifth Australian Open quad wheelchair singles title with victory over David Wagner.

Second seed Norfolk won 4-6 6-4 6-2 to avenge his defeat by the American top seed in the round-robin stage of the tournament on Friday.

The double Paralympic champion led 3-1 in the first set before Wagner hit back to take the next four and the set.

Norfolk broke Wagner's serve to love to level the match and built a 5-1 lead in the decider before serving out the win.

The man known as the 'Quadfather' later tweeted: "Yeeehaa I have just won my 5th Ozzie open Grand slam."

He later said: "I struggled for a while to find my game but I love the pressure of playing in a major final and I knew if I stuck with it, I could find my rhythm.

"I'm absolutely thrilled with my fifth singles title at the Australian Open and I hope I can use this as my base for a very successful 2012."

Wagner won the title in Melbourne 12 months ago but Norfolk was victorious in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

He also triumphed with Andy Lapthorne against Wagner and Israel's Noam Gershony in the doubles on Thursday.

Azarenka Stuns Sharapova

Victoria Azarenka claimed her maiden grand slam title at the Australian Open to leap to the top of the world rankings.

Azarenka was too strong for Maria Sharapova in Melbourne, thrashing the 2008 champion 6-3 6-0 in just one hour and 22 minutes.

In addition to winning the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, the victory also meant the Belarusian will become the new world number one on Monday, replacing Caroline Wozniacki.

The manner of her victory, and the impressive way she controlled her emotions towards the end, suggests she may be there for some time.

With so much up for grabs, it was perhaps understandable that the opening exchanges were error-strewn.

Azarenka's nerves were certainty evident early on. She was able to save one break point in the opening game but then pushed a backhand wide on the second as Sharapova made the first move.

When she slipped 0-2 0-30 down, her camp must have been fearing the worst but she dragged it back to 40-30 and then got on the scoreboard with a blistering forehand down the line.

The confidence suddenly returned to the Belarusian and she broke back to love to level it at 2-2 and followed that with a routine hold to edge ahead.

While Sharapova was happy to simply trade groundstrokes from the baseline, Azarenka was displaying more variety.

Having held for 4-3 with a clever drop shot-lob combination she then broke with some adventurous net play.

A drive volley gave her a second break point and she took it with another drop shot which Sharapova could only scrape up and her opponent was on hand to volley into the open court.

She had no problems in serving it out and remained on the front foot at the start of the second set, breaking with a stunning forehand winner after Sharapova had hit a drive-volley straight to her on the baseline.

The Russian was being outgunned and although she did create an immediate break back opportunity, Azarenka slammed the door to move 2-0 ahead.

It then became 3-0 as Sharapova, who was starting to look dispirited, thrashed another wayward backhand into the tramlines.

Azarenka was relentless and Sharapova powerless to prevent her from running away with it.

The 22-year-old broke again for 5-0 and, despite Sharapova's best efforts to extend the match, she completed a quite stunning victory in one hour and 22 minutes.

Broady and Ward-Hibbert Win

British success at the Australian Open on Friday came with youngsters Liam Broady and Joshua Ward-Hibbert won the boys' doubles title.

The pair, seeded sixth for the event, eased to victory over the Czech-Croat combination of Adam Pavlasek and Filip Veger, running out 6-3, 6-2 winners at Melbourne Park.

Broady and Ward-Hibbert, both of whom turned 18 this month, found strength in their serve, losing just five points between them throughout the two sets, and wrapped up the straight sets triumph in less than three quarters of an hour.

The more experienced Broady, who is ranked third in the world, was runner-up at Junior Wimbledon last year

Ward-Hibbert, meanwhile, ranked 44th, also made the quarter-finals of the boys' singles Down Under. His ranking will therefore improve. 

Novak Wins Five Set Thriller

Andy Murray's Australian Open challenge ended in a five-set semi-final defeat to defending champion Novak Djokovic.

World number one Djokovic prevailed 6-3 3-6 6-7 (4/7) 6-1 7-5 to set up a title showdown with second-ranked Rafael Nadal on Sunday.

In a repeat of last year's final, Djokovic once again got the better of his British opponent, although on this occasion he was made to work much harder.

Murray showed resilience, recovering from the loss of the opening set to win the next two and then breaking Djokovic to love when the Serb served for the match at 5-3 in the decider.

But Djokovic had the final say, saving three break points before holding for 6-5 and then closing out the result by breaking Murray in the next.

Djokovic claimed the opening set 6-3 in 47 minutes, an early exchange of breaks followed by the Serb making the decisive move in the sixth game.

Murray tamely fell 0-40 down on his own delivery and Djokovic took full advantage before going on to serve out the set without alarm.

And things looked bleak for Murray after he dropped serve in the opening game of the second set and Djokovic followed up with a hold for 2-0.

But Murray saved a break point in the next game, an escape that turned his aggression levels up a notch and started a run of four straight games.

Djokovic's serve was by now badly misfiring, he was broken three times in a row to surrender the second set 6-3 and, as had been the case in his quarter-final win over David Ferrer, appeared to be in some physical discomfort between points.

Djokovic staved off five break points in the opening game of the third set but there was no reprieve when Murray threatened again at 1-1, some hard-hitting from the baseline presenting him with the chance to finish the game with a smash which he converted with ease.

Once again, though, Murray promptly tossed his advantage away. From 15-15, he served a double fault and followed it up with a loose forehand and a long backhand as the set moved back on serve.

Murray had his chances in the next game only for Djokovic to hold for 3-2 and finally display some positive body language with a clenched fist and a loud roar to the crowd. Two routine holds followed before Murray found himself under threat when serving at 3-4.

Djokovic moved out to a 0-30 lead but Murray regained his composure and some wonderful hitting from the back of the court saw him avert danger.

Murray again escaped when serving at 4-5 down, saving the first of three set points with an ace, the second with a crushing forehand winner and the third with a drop shot-clipped backhand combination.

Sensing he had got out of jail, Murray struck for 6-5, bringing up his second break-point chance after some outstanding defence.

But he followed up with a string of errors to allow Djokovic to level for a tie-break, only for Murray to play a solid breaker to win it 7-4 and edge two sets to one ahead.

Djokovic was not going to give up his title without a fight, though, and took the match all the way by dominating the fourth set 6-1 in 25 minutes, Murray's footwork having gone AWOL.

Murray twice battled to hold at the start of the final set but could not do so for a third time, Djokovic breaking through for a 4-2 lead before a hold for each man left the Serb serving for the match.

He did not manage to win even a point, Murray breaking back to love to reduce his deficit to 5-4 and then holding with ease to leave us all square once again as the match approached the five-hour mark.

Murray had three break points in the 11th game, Djokovic shutting the door on each occasion before then seizing his chance in the next game to seal victory.

Murray and Lendl in Novak Plot

Andy Murray insists Novak Djokovic's emphatic victory over him in last year's final will not be on his mind when they meet in the Australian Open semi-final on Friday.

Djokovic won 6-4 6-3 6-2 to condemn Murray to his third defeat in three Grand Slam final appearances.

"It won't be in my mind. You can't think about the past," said Murray.

"I obviously learned a lot from that match, but on the day I will just be thinking about the tactics."

Murray suffered a pronounced dip in form after defeat by Djokovic in Melbourne 12 months ago, losing his first matches in the next three tournaments in Rotterdam, Indian Wells and Miami.

But he claims Djokovic's superb form for the rest of 2011, a year in which the Serb also won Wimbledon and the US Open, helped him get the defeat in perspective.

"After the year that he had, the loss didn't look so bad six months later," stated Murray.

"It would be a good marker to see how I've improved since last year."

The Scot is determined to play sensibly and wait for his chances against Djokovic as he bids to reach a fourth Grand Slam final.

"You have to play a patient match and pick the right moments to be aggressive," said Murray.

"You can't rush points against him, so I need to play patient tennis and be smart and that is what I have done since I was a kid.

"I need to use my head on court to work out when to play the right shots, and if I do that I'll have a good chance."

Murray has dropped only one set in the tournament so far, in his opening match against Ryan Harrison.

Since then, he has beaten French pair Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Michael Llodra in straight sets and was leading his fourth-round match against Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1 6-1 1-0 when his Kazakhstan opponent retired.

In the quarter-final, Murray was again impressive in beating Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-1 to set up a last-four clash with Djokovic.

"I haven't played over two hours really for the last few matches so, yeah, I feel fresh," Murray said.

"Hopefully that will be to my advantage going into the weekend.

"I have to play a lot of long rallies against the guys that are left in the tournament, so I'll need my legs to be fresh for the next few matches."

Djokovic believes Murray will only get stronger once he is able to spend more time with new coach Ivan Lendl.

But he is not surprised to see Murray blocking his path at Melbourne Park once again.

Of Lendl, Djokovic said: "From my perspective it's good to see a legend - one of the greatest players ever to play the game - being around the tour again.

"I don't know how much it has affected Andy. They haven't had that much time to work on things but I guess him winning the title in Brisbane and reaching the semi-finals here says the match is good.

"He's always been successful in Australia. He has always been very fit and committed and he proves that over and over again. I guess the effect of Lendl being part of his team will be felt in time to come."

Nadal Wins Federer Semi Final

Rafael Nadal produced some scintillating tennis to come from one set down to beat Roger Federer and reach his second Australian Open final.

The world number two, who won the 2009 title, lost an opening set tie-break but hit back to take the next three and win 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Third seed Federer saved one match point on Nadal's serve but the Spaniard held his nerve to take it on the next.

Nadal will play either Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final.

It was another classic encounter in what remains one of sport's greatest rivalries, with the 10-time Grand Slam champion Nadal extending his winning record over Federer to 18 victories in 27 meetings.

The Mallorcan gave his best wishes to his defeated opponent after what he described as "another fantastic match".

Nadal, who injured his knee prior to the tournament, added: "Two Sundays ago I really couldn't imagine being in the final. It's a dream to be here."

Federer, bidding for a 17th Grand Slam title, started imperiously, breaking Nadal early to take a 3-0 lead only for the tenacious Spaniard to bite back to take the first set to a tie-break.

The four-time champion looked in control of the match until he relinquished his early break, with Nadal restoring parity in the seventh game thanks to a wonderful passing shot.

A mini-break was enough to ensure the 30-year-old Swiss prevailed to claim the opening set, but Nadal bounced back with vengeance to break his rival in the fifth game of the second set for an unassailable lead.

Federer's play was becoming increasingly wayward - he ended the match with 63 unforced errors compared with Nadal's 34 - as he tried in vain to fathom a way to penetrate's Nadal's stubborn defence.

Both players' service games faltered in the third set. The pair exchanged breaks before taking the set to a tie-break, with Nadal coming out on top despite Federer valiantly saving five set points.

The second seed went on to secure a crucial break in the ninth game of the final set to serve for an impressive win.

Sharapova Reaches Aussie Final

Maria Sharapova is through to her third final at the Australian Open in Melbourne after defeating No.2 seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 6-2 3-6 6-4 in 2 hours and 12 minutes.

At 1-1 in the first set, Maria broke Kvitova's serve when Kvitova misses an overhead. In the next game, Maria loses her serve as the set is level 2-2. The momentum then swings Maria's way as she wins three straight games to lead 5-2. Serving for the match, Maria battled back from 0-40 to win the set 6-2 on a service winner.

Kvitova then broke Maria in the second game and raced into a 3-0 lead in the second set. 

 From that point on, both players held serve as the one break of serve was enough for Kvitova as she took the set 6-3.

In the third set, Kvitova takes a 2-1 lead after Sharapova hits a backhand into the net. 

 Maria immediately breaks Kvitova in the next game when Kvitova hits a shot long. At 4-4 0-30 on Maria's serve, the Russian wins a challenge on a backhand that was called long and wins three more points to lead 5-4. Maria breaks in the next game, winning the match when Kvitova hits a forehand long.

In Saturday's final to be played at 19.30 local time (9.30CET, 3.30ET & 12.30PT), Maria will face No.3 seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Maria has played the 22-year-old six times before and the series is tied 3-3. 

Here are the previous meetings they have played:

Moscow 2007 R2: Azarenka won 7-6 6-2

Los Angeles 2009 R2: Maria won 6-7 6-4 6-2

Beijing 2009 R2: Maria won 6-3 6-7 7-5

Stanford 2010 Final: Azarenka won 6-4 6-1

Miami 2011 Final: Azarenka won 6-1 6-4

Rome 2011 Quarter-Final: Maria won 4-6 3-0 ret.

In the WTA rankings, Maria provisionally moves up to No.3 with 7560 points. If she defeats Petra Azarenka in Saturday's final she will become No.1

Azarenka Enjoys Australia Day

Victoria Azarenka has advanced to her first grand slam final after outlasting defending champion Kim Clijsters in a remarkable encounter at the Australian Open.

Clijsters, on what could have been her last appearance down under as she is due to retire at the end of the season, fought hard but Azarenka's bludgeoning ground strokes proved too much as the Belarusian won 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in two hours and 12 minutes of absorbing tennis.

The Belgian's impending departure from the women's game means the chasing pack are jostling for position and on this evidence Azarenka will be at the forefront.

Her powerful all-court game has seen her knock on the door for a number of years but the way she regrouped after losing the second set suggests she is becoming a more complete player.

She also had to come through some nervy moments in the final stages but did so impressively to set up a meeting with either Maria Sharapova or Petra Kvitova in Saturday's final.

"I felt like my hand weighed about 200kg and my body was 1,000kg, everything was shaking but that feeling when you finally win is such a relief, I just want to cry," she said. "I was just trying to stay in the moment.

"Kim really took over in the second set and I felt there was nothing I could do. In the third I just tried to let my shots go a little bit.

"I am really glad that I fought for every ball."

On her improved mental attitude, she joked: "I think before you all thought I was a mental case but I was just young and emotional."

Azarenka was outstanding in the early exchanges, her greater weight of shot pushing Clijsters further behind the baseline and she was quick to punish the short ball.

She broke for a 2-1 lead and overcame some uncertain moments on serve and a noisy flypast to celebrate Australia Day to see out the set.

The second was a complete contrast as Azarenka started to throw in numerous unforced errors and the experienced Clijsters seized her chance, winning it in 36 minutes to level matters.

Previously that would have signalled the beginning of the end for Azarenka but she displayed her new-found mental fortitude to claim a 4-1 lead despite Clijsters's best efforts.

The four-time grand slam champion was staring down the barrel at 4-2, 40-0 down but in a courageous last stand hit back to break and get it back on serve. 

But again Azarenka stood firm, a crushing forehand seeing her break back and she served it out.

Djokovic Overcomes David Ferrer

Defending champion Novak Djokovic has revealed he had to overcome breathing problems to beat David Ferrer in the Australian Open quarter-final.

The world number one beat the plucky Spaniard 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 to set up a last-four clash against Britain's Andy Murray on Friday around 0830 GMT.

It was far from plain sailing for the Serbian, who also appeared to struggle with a hamstring injury.

But he said: "I have no concerns of recovering for the next match."

Djokovic will face number four seed Murray, who beat Japan's Kei Nishikori in straight sets earlier on Wednesday morning, in a rematch of last year's final.

Murray has almost effortlessly powered through the first five rounds and Djokovic, after his own gutsy win against Ferrer, admitted he has been impressed by the Scot's physical fitness.

But he insists he is not overly concerned by the problems that hampered him in the three-hour contest against Ferrer.

"I found it very difficult after a long time to breathe because I felt the whole day my nose was closed a little bit," said Djokovic.

"I just wasn't able to get enough oxygen.

"I needed more time, which I didn't have - but in these conditions, at this stage of the tournament, when you're playing someone like David, your physical strength and endurance come into question.

"But I am not too concerned about that at all. I'm really fit."

Djokovic outplayed Murray in Melbourne 12 months ago to condemn the British number one to his third Grand Slam final defeat with a convincing straight-sets victory.

But the 24-year-old believes he must play even better to prevent Murray earning his first major title.

He said: "Andy is playing great. He has showed he is in great shape and he has [new coach] Ivan Lendl on his side.

"You can feel he is physically fit and eager to win his first Grand Slam."

Djokovic breezed through the opening stages of the tournament, having dropped only one set which came in the previous round against home favourite Lleyton Hewitt.

He squandered six opportunities to break in the Spaniard's first two service games before ending Ferrer's resistance with a stunning cross-court winner to take a 3-2 lead.

It provided the platform he needed to go on and clinch the first set but he appeared to be struggling with a hamstring problem in the second as Ferrer led 4-2 in the tie-break.

However, Djokovic found the mental and physical strength to hit back with five straight winners to open up a commanding lead.

It seemed to knock the stuffing out of Ferrer, who beat Djokovic at the ATP World Finals in London, as the champion upped the tempo and swiftly wrapped up the match.

Sharapova and Kvitova Meet next

Former and reigning Wimbledon winners Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova will meet in the Australian Open semi-finals after both won in straight sets on Wednesday.

Sharapova won 6-2, 6-3 against fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova, who knocked out five-time champion Serena Williams in the previous round.

Kvitova earlier reached the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the first time with a 6-4, 6-4 win over unseeded Italian Sara Errani.

Kvitova beat Sharapova in last year's Wimbledon final to claim her first Grand Slam title.

"Obviously it was a tough one at Wimbledon," Sharapova said. "She's full of confidence and playing the best tennis right now. I look forward to it."

Sharapova and Kvitova also kept alive their chances of claiming the top ranking, which Caroline Wozniacki will vacate on Monday after her quarter-final loss to Kim Clijsters.

Sharapova must repeat her 2008 Australian title win. Kvitova only has to match or better the run of Victoria Azarenka, the only other player still in the running this week for the No1 spot.

Sharapova has dropped one set and lost 21 games en route to her first Australian Open semifinal since she won the 2008 final the last of her three major titles.

"It's been a long road back to this stage," said Sharapova, who spent 10 months off court with a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Kvitova was far from her best against an opponent making her debut in a Grand Slam quarter-final, and with a 0-24 record against top 10 players. The second-seeded Czech made 44 errors and had to come back from a break down in the second set.

"I was a little nervous because I knew that everybody expect it will be easy match," Kvitova said. "Probably I had in my head that it's a good draw."

Murray Secures Semi Final Spot

Andy Murray ended Kei Nishikori's brilliant run at the Australian Open, carving up the Japanese sensation with a dominant 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 victory to stroll into his third successive semi-final at Melbourne Park.

Nishikori, the first Japanese man through to the last eight in Melbourne for 80 years, won support from kimono-clad fans as the underdog at sun-bathed Rod Laver Arena, but left with his tail between his legs after a two-hour 12-minute spanking.

While rarely setting the court alight, Murray assumed control from the outset, exploiting the flashy Japanese's height with lobs and running him around the court to distraction.

The fourth-seeded Briton stepped up a gear in the third, closing out the contest on his second match point when Nishikori belted a forehand return into the net.

Murray sets up a last-four showdown with either world No 1 Novak Djokovic or fifth seed David Ferrer as he bids for a maiden grand slam title.

Rafa Nadal to Meet Federer

Rafael Nadal will play old rival Roger Federer in the Australian Open semi-finals after seeing off Tomas Berdych in a four-hour-plus battle.

The second seed posted a 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (8/6) 6-4 6-3 win under the lights of the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night but only after being full tested by the big-serving Czech.

Berdych actually held a point for a two-set lead at one stage but Nadal showed his renowned fighting qualities to keep his bid for a second Melbourne title on track.

Nadal admitted: "Both players had chances in both the first two sets but the second set was probably the key of the match for me."

In what was a stamina-sapping battle, Berdych started superbly, always looking to come forward to get stuck into his feared forehand.

He was more than able to live with Nadal from the baseline and when leading 6-5 he moved to 0-40 on the Spaniard's serve.

All three set points were saved - the second with some of the best defence you'll ever see, Nadal turning a Berdych assault around to win a 29-shot rally.

Nadal also saved a fourth break point with a forehand winner to take the set into a tie-break.

He opened a 5-3 lead but could not get over the line.

Controversy arrived when Nadal tried to challenge as Berdych crashed away another forehand winner but the umpire decided he had asked too late, prompting an angry response from the player.

An ace followed to give Berdych, who had lost his last nine meeting with Nadal. an unexpected one-set lead.

Berdych had a break point in the opening game of the second set but Nadal wrested back control and was soon 3-1 to the good.

However, he failed to serve out at 5-3 and Berdych drew level.

An untimely double fault from Berdych, his first of the match, handed Nadal a set point at 5-6 but the seventh seed saved it to ensure another tie-break.

In it, Berdych led 6-5 and had the set on his racquet but stretching to a backhand volley he pushed the ball wide. A forehand long moments later saw Nadal square the contest.

Berdych would not go away quietly though.

He moved 2-0 up in the third as he showed few signs of tiring but Nadal duly broke straight back.

Second succesive break of Berdych's serve followed and although the underdog was able to save one set point serving at 3-5, a nerveless smash in the following game pushed Nadal into a two-sets-to-one lead with the match well into its fourth hour.

When Berdych lost his delivery again at the start of the fourth, the end seemed nigh, the Czech's level having dipped.

But this time it was his turn to show resolve. He forced two break-back points in the sixth game only for Nadal to stand firm.

That proved Berdych's last chance as Nadal progressed to another clash with Federer after four hours and 16 minutes on court.

Asked about how much the contest had taken out of him with Federer lying in wait on Thursday, Nadal said: "I felt that I resisted very well in the third and fourth sets. It was an instense battle so I'm very happy with how I finished my match physically.

"I had a lot of intensity and that's important in big matches."

Thursday's match will be a repeat of the pair's 2009 Melbourne final, a thrilling showdown won in five sets by Nadal.

Federer Celebrates 1,000th

Roger Federer celebrated his 1,000th tour-level match by demolishing Juan Martin Del Potro to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

Four times a winner in Melbourne, Federer was at his brilliant best as he romped to a 6-4 6-3 6-2 victory on Rod Laver Arena - the 814th win of his fabulous career.

The Swiss star said: "I'm very happy. I thought it was a great match.

"It was tough with the sun creeping across the court but it was a quality match against a wonderful player. I know how hard he can hit the ball but I was able to manoeuvre him around."

Federer started superbly, breaking serve at the first attempt to race into a 3-0 lead.

However, any thoughts he had of repeating his 2009 quarter-final win over Del Potro here - he lost just three games - soon disappeared as the Argentine found his range.

A trademark crushing forehand forced an error from Federer in the seventh game to secure the break back.

It was a high standard of tennis but Del Potro, who famously beat Federer to capture the 2009 US Open title, faltered when serving to stay in the set at 4-5. A double fault on set point was a calamitous error.

Federer broke early in the second set to lead 3-1 but Del Potro still had chances to recover.

He missed break point in the very next game and also piled the pressure on as Federer served for the set at 5-3.

Four break-back opportunities were squandered - Federer roaring his approval as he saved one of them - and the Swiss eventually held to lead by two sets.

Del Potro had never come from such a deficit to win and he never looked like doing so in this match either.

A couple of sumptuous backhands - one a pushed return winner, the other a devilish slice - saw Federer gain another early break and a second moved him 5-2 ahead.

He duly served out to complete victory in a minute under two hours.