MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Roger Federer has beaten No. 7-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open semifinals for a 10th consecutive year.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion will next play U.S. Open winner Andy Murray, who advanced in straight sets earlier Wednesday over unseeded Jeremy Chardy of France.
The 31-year-old Swiss star hadn't dropped a service game in his first four rounds, but Tsonga ended that streak by breaking him the sixth game.
Federer was narrowly in front for most of the match but Tsonga stayed in touch with some powerful groundstrokes and a big serve.
After being forced into a deciding fifth set, Federer broke Tsonga in the fourth game and, after wasting four match points in ninth, served it out 3 hours, 34 minutes.
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