Australian Open day 11: Djokovic breezes past Federer to reach eighth final

Novak Djokovic won his 50th meeting with an ailing Roger Federer to move into an eighth Australian Open final.

Home hope Ashleigh Barty was upset in the women’s semi-finals by 21-year-old American Sofia Kenin, and she will take on Garbine Muguruza for the trophy after the Spaniard defeated Simona Halep.

Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American partner Rajeev Ram reached their first grand slam final in men’s doubles by beating Alexander Bublik and Mikhail Kukushkin.

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Tweet of the day

Returning serve

Kenin may be a new name to many tennis fans but she has been earmarked for stardom for many years. Tennis Channel this week unearthed an interview of a seven-year-old Kenin, who is known as Sonya, talking about returning Andy Roddick’s serve.

“I think everyone knows about it,” she said. “I’m doing an interview thing, I can return his serve, how I will return it. He tweeted something about me. He said congratulations and stuff, so thank you, Andy.”

Zverev dishes out silverware

Alexander Zverev is hoping to win some silverware of his own but he has already got his hands on one trophy at Melbourne Park having joined quad wheelchair doubles champions Dylan Alcott and Heath Davidson for their on-court presentation ceremony.

Who’s up next?

The second men’s semi-final takes centre stage on Friday evening, with Zverev facing fifth seed Dominic Thiem for the right to take on Djokovic.

Both are playing in the last four at Melbourne Park for the first time, with Thiem aiming to reach a third grand slam final and Zverev a first.

Jamie Murray will hope to follow Salisbury in making a doubles final. He and American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands face Australians Astra Sharma and John-Patrick Smith in the last four of the mixed.