Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic blasted Canada s Milos Raonic in straight sets to make his fifth Australian Open semi-final on Wednesday.
The top seed was in brilliant form in dishing out a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-2 hammering of the world number eight in two hours and will face defending champion Stan Wawrinka for a place in Sunday s final.
Swiss fourth seed Wawrinka upset Djokovic in last year s quarter-finals on the way to winning the Australian Open for his first major title.
This year Djokovic looks the player to beat and was in outstanding touch on Rod Laver Arena, hitting 33 winners and just 17 unforced errors, with three service breaks and winning 89 percent of his first serves.
It will be his 25th Grand Slam semi-final on Friday.
Raonic, one of the biggest servers in men s tennis, could not get one break point on Djokovic s serve, with the Serb now dropping only one service game in the tournament.
“It was a great performance tonight. I returned very well and tried to get as many of the balls back in play and I felt I had a good chance from the back of the court,” Djokovic said.
“Some games I just had to let it go and wait for the opportunities and when they were presented try to use them.
“I served very well and overall it was a great match against one of the up and coming rising stars.”
Raonic has yet to beat the world number one in five encounters and went into the match with the most aces in the tournament, but could only manage 15, well down on the 25 he had been averaging in his earlier four matches.
Djokovic, who is chasing a fifth Australian title and eighth Grand Slam, had few problems with the big-serving Canadian and had break points in two service games before he claimed the opening set in a tiebreaker in 56 minutes.
Raonic could not lay a glove on the world number one, who pounced with a service break in the opening game of the second set.
The top seed cracked Raonic s serve twice in the final set to cruise to the finish line. (AFP)
