The big story: Federer beat Mischa Zverev in straight sets

Four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer set up an all-Swiss showdown with fourth seed and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after beating Germany’s Mischa Zverev 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday.

The No.17 seed dominated proceedings to finish the match off in one hour and 32 minutes, and entered the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the 13th time. Zverev, who had shocked world No. 1 Andy Murray in the round of 16, had no reply to Federer’s onslaught.

The first set was a breeze for the Swiss ace. Zverev did pose some anxiety for the 35-year-old in the second, but could not keep up the pressure and lost on serve to hand Federer a two-set advantage.

With his tail up, Federer was not to be troubled anymore as he picked up the third set with ease and advanced to the next round.

Other top stories

Tennis

  • Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-3 to make the last-four stage at the Australian Open on Tuesday. 
  • Venus Williams beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets to enter the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
  • Coco Vandeweghe defeated seventh seed Garbiñe Muguruza 6-4, 6-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
  • World No. 2 Sania Mirza and her Croatian partner Ivan Dodig on Tuesday knocked out China’s Saisai Zheng and Austrian Alexander Peya in the mixed doubles to enter the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.  
  • India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski defeated Lukasz Kubot and Chan Yung-jan 6-4, 5-7, 10-3 to enter the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles at the Australian Open on Tuesday.  

Cricket

  • Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to refrain from naming new administrators for the Board of Control for Cricket in India for another two weeks as the central government was “thinking” of implementing a sports code.
  • The Supreme Court asked the Centre and the BCCI to suggest names for the appointment of board administrators in a sealed cover by January 27 and deferred the hearing till January 30.
  • Rest of India beat Gujarat by six wickets to lift the Irani Cup on Tuesday. Chasing a target of 379, captain Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha staged a match-winning partnership of 316 runs for the fifth wicket to take Rest of India home.
  • The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday refused to provide S Sreesanth a non-objection certificate to play in the Scotland Cricket League, Hindustan Times reported
  • The anti-doping court, which is inspecting whether West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell was guilty after allegedly failing to file his whereabouts three times between January and July 2015, will deliver its verdict on January 31. If found guilty, Russell can be banned for two years.     

Football

  • Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has been sidelined after spraining his right ankle during Sunday’s 4-0 win at Eibar. However, the club did not set a time-frame for his return.
  • Hull City midfielder Ryan Mason is conscious and has spoken about the clash of heads with Chelsea defender Gary Cahill in which he fractured his skull, the club said in a statement.
  • Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was charged for verbal abuse and pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor during Sunday’s game against Burnley, said the Football Association in a statement.
  • The All India Football Federation president Praful Patel on Tuesday took a dig at Goan clubs for not having the required “bandwidth” to continue in revamped top tier league in the country, PTI reported.

Formula One

  • Bernie Ecclestone has been removed after 40 years from his position of running Formula One as US giant Liberty Media completed its $8 billion takeover of the sport. Ecclestone has been appointed chairman emeritus and will act as an adviser to the board.