'Miracle' man Federer saves seven match points to set up Djokovic semi

Swiss great Roger Federer said "I believe in miracles" after he saved seven match points in a five-set nail-biter against 100th-ranked Tennys Sandgren to go into an Australian Open semi-final with Novak Djokovic on Tuesday.

The six-time champion, struggling physically, saved three match points at 4-5 in the fourth set and four more in the tie-breaker to scrape through 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-3.

Federer, 38, now goes into an unmissable semi-final with Djokovic, who blunted Milos Raonic's razor serve to win 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) and move two wins from an eighth Melbourne title.

Djokovic, despite trouble with his contact lenses, ended Raonic's run of 63 straight games in the tournament without a break of serve and moves smoothly into the semis for the loss of just one set so far.

He paid tribute to the great escape by Federer, ahead of a semi-final that reprises his epic win over the Swiss in last year's Wimbledon decider.

"What he did today was really amazing, to come back and save seven match points at his age," Djokovic said.

"He's still playing such a great tennis and proving that he deserves to be up there. He's a great fighter. Obviously I have lots of respect for him."
"(I thought) just let him finish me off in style, and he didn't do that. I'm incredibly lucky tonight, today -- I don't even know what time it is."
- 'Quiet little life' - =======================
"She's had really good matches, good wins. It wasn't an easy battle -- all respect to her."