Australian Open: Stan Wawrinka wins testy clash with Tsonga to reach semi-finals

Reuters | Updated: Jan 24, 2017, 01:09 PM IST

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates winning his quarterfinal match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France on day nine of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 24, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Wawrinka will face the winner of match between Roger Federer and Mischa Zverev to secure a spot in final

Former champion Stan Wawrinka engaged in a war of words with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga but won the argument that counted to storm into the Australian Open semi-finals with a 7-6(2) 6-4 6-3 win over the Frenchman on Tuesday.

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Wawrinka bickered heatedly with 12th seed Tsonga during a change of ends after the first set before putting his aggression to better use, wrapping up the one-sided match in two hours and 15 minutes on a sun-bathed Rod Laver Arena.

Tsonga, runner-up in 2008, was a shadow of his usual energetic self, dropping serve three successive times to lose the second set and concede a break in the third.

The 2014 champion Wawrinka made no mistake as he coolly closed out the match when Tsonga pushed a defensive lob over the baseline and the Swiss will face either compatriot Roger Federer or German giant-killer Mischa Zverev for a place in the final.