Cilic to meet Federer for Australian Open title

A ruthless Roger Federer handed Chung Hyeon an old-fashioned schooling before the South Korean quit trailing 6-1 5-2 in a damp squib of an Australian Open semi-final on Friday.

The 36-year-old was all over the world number 58 throughout a one-sided contest in Melbourne, breaking three times to win the opening set in 33 minutes.

When Chung held serve to make it 1-1 in the second set a huge cheer went up from the Australia Day crowd who had hoped to witness a classic battle of the generations.

But the bespectacled 21-year-old, nicknamed 'the professor', simply had no answer to Federer's masterclass.

Federer broke for 3-1 with a dipping backhand pass and when Chung needed treatment on his foot blisters at 1-4 his hopes of becoming the first South Korean to reach a grand slam final looked completely hopeless.

Chung managed to win one more game but then threw in the towel, in an ignominious end to an otherwise enthralling run.

Cilic looking for second gland slam title

A business-like Marin Cilic doused the fire of Kyle Edmund before crushing the ailing Briton 6-2 7-6(4) 6-2 to become Croatia's first Australian Open finalist on Thursday.

Sixth seed Cilic, who won his quarter-final when Rafa Nadal retired hurt in the fifth set, was again ruthless against a reduced opponent, ending 49th-ranked Edmund's dream run after just two hours and 18 minutes at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena.

Sealing the match with a thumping serve, the 2014 U.S. Open champion will bid for his second grand slam title, with two full days off before he faces an in-form Federer on Melbourne's centre court.

The Swiss crushed Cilic at Wimbledon, but on Thursday the Croatian said he was confident and in a "good, solid spot" after thrashing Edmund.