<p align="justify" class="title">Roger Federer zeroed in on a 20th Grand Slam title on Wednesday with Chung Hyeon next in his Australian Open firing line as dominant Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep raced into a semifinal showdown.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The Swiss ace strode into the last four at Melbourne Park for a 14th time with a clinical 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4 dismantling of old foe Tomas Berdych.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">He now faces Chung on Friday for a place in the final after the unseeded South Korean kept his dream run going by battling past American Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to become the lowest-ranked semifinalist since Marat Safin in 2004.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Germany's Kerber, champion two years ago, swept aside Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2, easily taming the American's big serve and will go into her clash with the world number one on a 14-match win streak.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Top seed Halep was equally impressive on Rod Laver Arena in thumping sixth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-2, reeling off nine games in a row after going 0-3 behind in the first set.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Defending champion Federer, chasing a sixth Australian title, held a 19-6 lead over the Czech 19th seed going into the match and after a close first set, it was one-way traffic.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm very happy I got out of that first set, it was key to the match in the end," he said, adding that he was excited to now be up against Chung.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"It's great to see new names on the scene. He reminds me a lot of Novak (Djokovic)."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Ranked 58, the bespectacled Chung, nicknamed "The Professor", proved too hot for his fellow quarterfinal rookie Sandgren, although he needed six match points before claiming victory.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I never played in second week of a Grand Slam, so I'm really surprised," said the delighted Suwon native, who is the first player -- man or woman -- from his country to reach a Grand Slam semifinal.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm just trying to stay focused," added the 21-year-old as he prepares to face Federer, having already knocked out an injured Djokovic.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Sandgren, who wiped his Twitter account ahead of the game after being dogged by controversy over his political views, paid tribute to the Korean.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"He's a fantastic player," he said, adding that he was also upbeat about his own future after a breakthrough tournament.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm excited about that. Hopefully I can keep playing well."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Kerber, who won the title in 2016, is in scintillating form after an unbeaten singles campaign in the Hopman Cup and her triumph in the Sydney International warm-up.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Keys was expected to be a stiff challenge, having not dropped a set en route to the quarters, but she melted under the German's relentless groundstrokes and pinpoint return of serve.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm just trying to find the feeling back I had like 2016," said Kerber, who had a forgettable 2017 after winning not only in Australia but also the US Open in 2016.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The win ensures Kerber, seeded 21, will move back into the world's top 10.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Halep is next for her on Thursday, with the nuggety Romanian taming towering Czech Pliskova's serve to scamper into the last four for the first time in Melbourne.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I didn't have the best start, but I restarted after three games. I stopped missing so much and moved better," said Halep, who showed no signs of the ankle injury that has been troubling her in previous rounds.</p>.<p align="justify"><span class="bold">Results (Quarterfinals, prefix denotes seeding) Men's singles:</span> Chung Hyeon (KOR) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3; 2-Roger Federer (SUI) bt 19-Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4.</p>.<p align="justify"><span class="bold">Women's singles:</span> 21-Angelique Kerber (GER) bt 17-Madison Keys (USA) 6-1, 6-2; 1-Simona Halep (ROM) bt 6-Karolina Plishova (CZE) 6-3, 6-2.</p>
<p align="justify" class="title">Roger Federer zeroed in on a 20th Grand Slam title on Wednesday with Chung Hyeon next in his Australian Open firing line as dominant Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep raced into a semifinal showdown.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The Swiss ace strode into the last four at Melbourne Park for a 14th time with a clinical 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4 dismantling of old foe Tomas Berdych.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">He now faces Chung on Friday for a place in the final after the unseeded South Korean kept his dream run going by battling past American Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to become the lowest-ranked semifinalist since Marat Safin in 2004.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Germany's Kerber, champion two years ago, swept aside Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2, easily taming the American's big serve and will go into her clash with the world number one on a 14-match win streak.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Top seed Halep was equally impressive on Rod Laver Arena in thumping sixth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-2, reeling off nine games in a row after going 0-3 behind in the first set.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Defending champion Federer, chasing a sixth Australian title, held a 19-6 lead over the Czech 19th seed going into the match and after a close first set, it was one-way traffic.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm very happy I got out of that first set, it was key to the match in the end," he said, adding that he was excited to now be up against Chung.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"It's great to see new names on the scene. He reminds me a lot of Novak (Djokovic)."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Ranked 58, the bespectacled Chung, nicknamed "The Professor", proved too hot for his fellow quarterfinal rookie Sandgren, although he needed six match points before claiming victory.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I never played in second week of a Grand Slam, so I'm really surprised," said the delighted Suwon native, who is the first player -- man or woman -- from his country to reach a Grand Slam semifinal.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm just trying to stay focused," added the 21-year-old as he prepares to face Federer, having already knocked out an injured Djokovic.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Sandgren, who wiped his Twitter account ahead of the game after being dogged by controversy over his political views, paid tribute to the Korean.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"He's a fantastic player," he said, adding that he was also upbeat about his own future after a breakthrough tournament.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm excited about that. Hopefully I can keep playing well."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Kerber, who won the title in 2016, is in scintillating form after an unbeaten singles campaign in the Hopman Cup and her triumph in the Sydney International warm-up.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Keys was expected to be a stiff challenge, having not dropped a set en route to the quarters, but she melted under the German's relentless groundstrokes and pinpoint return of serve.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I'm just trying to find the feeling back I had like 2016," said Kerber, who had a forgettable 2017 after winning not only in Australia but also the US Open in 2016.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The win ensures Kerber, seeded 21, will move back into the world's top 10.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Halep is next for her on Thursday, with the nuggety Romanian taming towering Czech Pliskova's serve to scamper into the last four for the first time in Melbourne.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"I didn't have the best start, but I restarted after three games. I stopped missing so much and moved better," said Halep, who showed no signs of the ankle injury that has been troubling her in previous rounds.</p>.<p align="justify"><span class="bold">Results (Quarterfinals, prefix denotes seeding) Men's singles:</span> Chung Hyeon (KOR) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3; 2-Roger Federer (SUI) bt 19-Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4.</p>.<p align="justify"><span class="bold">Women's singles:</span> 21-Angelique Kerber (GER) bt 17-Madison Keys (USA) 6-1, 6-2; 1-Simona Halep (ROM) bt 6-Karolina Plishova (CZE) 6-3, 6-2.</p>