Defending Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka avenged his only career loss to Kei Nishikori on Wednesday, when the Swiss No. 4 seed advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) win.
Last September, Nishikori beat Wawrinka in the U.S. Open quarterfinals in five grueling sets, but had few answers for Wawrinka's power and accuracy in Melbourne, where the Swiss star fired 20 aces to Nishikori's six and remained on course to defend his title.
The fifth-seeded Nishikori, whose serve had been very effective through his first four matches, was nowhere to be seen in the first set, while his strokes were often misplayed in a one-sided affair. Wawrinka, on the other hand, was able to give Nishikori a taste of his own medicine. The Japanese star, who normally returns extremely well and thrives on keeping his opponents uncomfortable behind the baseline with precise strokes, was himself victimized by Wawrinka's ability to dictate the flow of play.