Australian Open: Djokovic crushes Raonic, faces Wawrinka in semis

Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a backhand in his quarter-final match against Milos Raonic of Canada at the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

World No 1 Novak Djokovic eased his way into the Australian Open semi-finals, brushing aside an early challenge from Canada’s Milos Raonic, with a 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-2 victory at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

The rampant Serbian put away a backhand volley to set up a meeting with Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in the semis.

"Great performance, no complaints; I felt like I had a good chance from the back of the court. I served very well, a great match," Djokovic said in a courtside interview later.

Milos Raonic of Canada plays a backhand volley against Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

"There were not many tournaments where I dropped serve only once. I feel like Boris Becker on the court," he added in jest.

"Of course, it feels good. It never gets old being in the last 4 at a grand slam. I don't take anything for granted, I'm aware there are 1000s of players around the world fighting to be in the position I am in."

On playing Wawrinka, he said, “"We always ask from each other the best from our abilities on the court & we always entertain the crowd.”

'Stan the man' thrashes Nishikori to reach semis

Defending Australian Open men's champion Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland walks onto court. Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka avenged his US Open quarter-final defeat to Kei Nishikori in style with an emphatic 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(6) to charge into the semi-finals.

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Kei Nishikori of Japan looks on during his quarter-final match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The fourth-seeded Swiss has worked his way slowly into the year's first grand slam but put his foot to the floor at a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena, dominating Nishikori with raw power and compiling an exhaustive highlight reel of cleanly struck winners.

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland stretches to hit a return to Kei Nishikori of Japan. Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Wawrinka's backhand was particularly deadly, picking off the clean-hitting Japanese from all points of the court, but the Swiss was also impressive rushing to the net, a relatively new weapon in his arsenal.

Wawrinka made hard work of the tiebreak, blowing five match points after storming to a 6-1 lead, but closed it out on the sixth with an ace to set up a semi-final with the winner of top seed Novak Djokovic and Milos Raonic.

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