Melbourne, Jan 23: Four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer edged out seventh-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 to reach his 10th consecutive semifinal here at the Melbourne Park Wednesday.
Tsonga unleashed a barrage of brilliant shot-making to level the match at two sets apiece, reports Xinhua.
In the deciding set, the 31-year-old Swiss maestro captured the decisive break at 2-1. After wasting four match points in the ninth game, the 17-time Grand Slam winner served it out in three hours and 34 minutes.
The No.2 seed hadn't dropped a service in his first four rounds but Tsonga ended the streak by breaking him in the sixth game of the first set.
Federer will play US Open champion Andy Murray in the semifinals, who advanced in straight sets earlier Wednesday over unseeded Jeremy Shardy of France.
