It was an easy day at the office, as they say, for Roger Federer. The Swiss probably didn’t need any help but got it in his Australian Open semifinal against Hyeon Chung who retired down 6-1, 5-2, 30-30 because of a blister.

“I’m just happy I’m in the finals, to be honest,” said Federer. “That was the goal before the match today. I was able to get there. Not under the …

Australian Open organizers got their dream final on Thursday in Melbourne when world No. 1 Simona Halep and No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki advance to the championship match, where one player will win their first Grand Slam title with the No. 1 ranking also on the line.

Halep advanced after a marathon 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 win over No. 21 seed and former No. 1 Angie Kerber, who has been the hottest player …

Marin Cilic booked a spot in his first Australian Open final Thursday night in Melbourne easing past Brit Kyle Edmund 6-2, 7-6, 6-2.

Cilic, who made the Australian Open semifinals in 2010, never was broken in the match, and pounded 11 aces and only lost five points on first serve.

“I’m quite happy with the performance. Obviously when playing in the semifinals when there is a lot at stake and not losing …

It’s semifinal Thursday at the Australian Open. The women are on first with Caroline Wozniacki and Elise Mertens who each look for their first Australian Open semifinal.

Mertens enters her first Grand Slam semifinal riding a 9-match win streak, and she hasn’t dropped a set all event in her Melbourne debut.

“Of course everything is possible in tennis,” Mertens said. “If you believe in yourself, then anything can happen. But of course …

World No. 1 Simona Halep and former No. 1 Angie Kerber set up a blockbuster Australian Open semifinal when both players moved through their quarterfinal matches on Wednesday in Melbourne.

Halep had little trouble — in the end — with another former No. 1, dismissing No. 6 seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-2, while the No. 21-seeded Kerber brushed past No. 17 Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2.

While Halep lost only five games total, …

Roger Federer earned his 20th win over Tomas Berdych Wednesday night in the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 7-6(1), 6-3, 6-4 victory.

It wasn’t easy early as Berdych grabbed an early break for 3-0 but he couldn’t serve it out. Federer saved two set points and confidently took the breaker and effectively the match.

A dismayed Berdych didn’t mount much of a test after that. The pair exchanged three straight …

Good news for Rafael Nadal fans. A day after retiring to Marin Cilic in the fifth set of their Australian Open quarterfinal with what looked to be a bad right upper thigh/hip injury, Nadal’s MRI in Melbourne didn’t show any serious.

According to the release from his camp, Nadal has a “grade 1 injury of his Illiopsoas on his right leg (iliopsoas refers to the joined psoas and the iliacus muscles).”

Nadal …

Who’ll fill the last four semifinal spots at the Australian Open. We’ll find out Tuesday in Melbourne. On a very loaded schedule, both former champions Roger Federer and Angelique Kerber return along with top threats Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova and Madison Keys.

Up first on Rod Laver is a battle between the big-hitting Keys against the tactical Kerber. Kerber leads 6-1 including a win at the 2013 Australian Open. The two …

Betting favorite and No. 4 seed Elina Svitolina was sent out of the Australian Open on Tuesday by unheralded and unseeded Elise Mertens, who cruised to a 6-4, 6-0 win behind some brilliant all-court tennis.

“I have so many mixed emotions,” the Belgian said afterwards. “I gave it all today, I fought. I got a little stress at the end so I played my game and it went well today…I tried …

The upsets and surprises kept coming Tuesday at the Australian Open. A day after Novak Djokovic was ousted, Rafael Nadal followed, in disheartening fashion retiring to Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals down 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2, 2-0 with what appeared to be an upper right leg issue.

Nadal held the lead by two sets to one but at some point in the fourth the World No. 1 injured that upper right …

Rafael Nadal is out of the Australian Open after retiring to Marin Cilic down Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 2-0 because of an upper right leg/hip injury.

Nadal was leading 2 sets to 1 when, he said, he felt something going for a dropshot in the fourth. Nadal received treatment and took some pills, but hobbling in the fifth it was clear the World No. 1 could not go on. …

We are down to 8 in each draw at the Australian Open. Today, the quarterfinals begin with star-studded line-up today.

In the afternoon on Rod Laver, Hobart champion Elise Mertens meets Brisbane winner Elina Svitolina for a spot in a first Grand Slam semifinal for either player.

“I have my plan, what my, you know, what I have to do on court and just, you know, go out there and fight …

World No. 1 Simona Halep was in no mood for welcoming up-and-coming stars at the Australian Open on Monday, dismantling Japanese riser Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-2 to move into the quarterfinals.

“Maybe I get used to the pain and I’m not thinking that much that something can happen,” said Halep of the ankle she’s complained about after every win. “Just taking every point. I’m trying to play 100 percent, which I …

In a tournament full of surprises, Hyeon Chung may have pulled the biggest one yet, stunning 6-time champion Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-5, 7-6(3) in the Australian Open fourth round Monday night in Melbourne.

After a flurry of double faults from the No. 1, Chung burst out early on Djokovic, racing to a 4-0 lead. Djokovic, though, found the range on his serve and leveled, but errors spelled doom for the Serb …

The last 8 spots in the quarterfinals will be filled Monday at the Australian Open. Former champions Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic head toward a Friday semifinal, but first they have work to do.

Federer is finally featured in the afternoon against little-known Hungarian Marton Fuxsovocs. The 25-year-old Fucsovics had never won a Grand Slam match until this week, and until last fall in Basel had never reached an ATP quarterfinals. …