MELBOURNE // Roger Federer made a quick dash into an eighth straight Australian Open semi-final but Novak Djokovic's resounding win over Thomas Berdych was a warning the Swiss cannot yet count on a sixth final.
Djokovic was close to his best in a 6-1, 7-6, 6-1 win over the Czech sixth seed which suggested the Serbian, the 2008 champion here, could again be the man to break Federer and Rafael Nadal's virtual duopoly of grand slam titles over the last few years.
Caroline Wozniacki, under huge pressure to vindicate her No 1 ranking with a maiden major title, made heavier work of getting past a dogged Francesca Schiavone to reach her first Melbourne Park semi, where she will meet China's Li Na.
With 16 grand slam titles to his name, Federer has nothing left to prove to anyone - least of all that he is the best player in Switzerland - and the defending champion simply outclassed compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.
The second seed, gunning for his fifth Australian Open title, first defused Wawrinka's serve before picking him apart with his full repertoire of shots.
"I think it was a good match for me," Federer said. "For some reason, I was able to return him well. On my own service games I was really good, too. I think that really set the tone for a good match for me."
Wawrinka, who Federer fondly refers to as "Stan", said he was playing the best tennis of his life going into the first grand slam quarter-final between two Swiss but served just one ace compared to 24 against Andy Roddick in round four.
"It wasn't an easy match for him," Federer added. "The scoreline suggests maybe it was easier than it looked like. He really got into the match, especially in the second set. But I was able to mix it up well and just keep him on his toes."
Djokovic rampaged through the first set to silence Berdych's band of bare-chested cheerleaders before getting bogged down in a dogfight in a 78-minute second.
Berdych, who beat the Serbian on his way to the Wimbledon final last year, unleashed his fearsome forehands to forge 4-1 ahead but Djokovic broke and celebrated with a fist-pump.
The Czech suggested the third seed was "lucky" to win the tiebreak but there was no argument about the third set which Djokovic raced through in 38 minutes.
"Today has been a real test, because he's ... a very difficult opponent," said Djokovic. "I've played one of my best tennis (matches) in the last couple months.
"I have nothing to lose playing Federer, who's the title defender here. We all know everything about him. I have to believe in myself in order to win that match."
Wozniacki found herself a set and a break down to Francesca Schiavone, a player 10 years her senior, before rallying to overcome the tiring French Open champion 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The 20-year-old nearly paid the price for her lack of aggression in a lively contest against the Italian, who bounded around the court from the start despite having less than 48 hours to recover from her four hour, 44 minute victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Schiavone hit 14 winners to one to claim the first set and moved 3-1 ahead in the second before four consecutive errors handed the momentum to Wozniacki who rattled off the next six games to take control of the match.
"She's a very difficult player to play against because she's mixing it up quite a bit and she knows how to slice," said Wozniacki. "So it's very difficult, but I managed to keep my head cool, and it worked out."
Li dropped her opening serve against Petkovic but recovered to dominate her opponent, hammering flat groundstrokes deep into the court to seal a 10th consecutive victory in 80 minutes.
Petkovic, 23, conceded she had been outclassed in her first grand slam quarter-final before declaring the big-hitting 28-year-old was her tip to claim the year's first major title.
"I think she played really well. I think she's going to win the tournament," said the Bosnia-born German.
"I don't want to put pressure on her obviously. It's just a feeling. Sometimes you get the feeling during the match that somebody is really strong and just has that confidence going on, that aura maybe."
Li lost to eventual champion Serena Williams in the semis a year ago but is hoping to claim China's first grand slam singles title this year.
"I hope I can win the tournament," said Li. "But if I want to win the tournament, I still have two steps I need to make. It's always easy to say something."
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Griselda
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
RIDE%20ON
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IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
Friday's schedule at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
Formula 2, practice 11:30am
Formula 1, first practice, 1pm
GP3 qualifying session, 3.10pm
Formula 1 second practice, 5pm
Formula 2 qualifying, 7pm
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
