Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal pencilled in the next chapter of their great rivalry when they reached the Australian Open semi-finals yesterday, as Kim Clijsters gave Caroline Wozniacki a day to forget.

Federer was majestic in his defeat of Juan Martin del Potro but Nadal had a stiffer challenge in his night match against Tomas Berdych, as they set up their 10th grand slam meeting.

The results gave Federer a chance to avenge his bitter final defeat of 2009, when Nadal’s five-set win left the Swiss weeping freely in front of his idol, Rod Laver.

The fiesty Spaniard leads their slam meetings 7-2, and is 17-9 overall.

Nadal had a fight on his hands when he lost the first set to Berdych but the redoubtable second seed came through 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 over 4hr 16min on Rod Laver Arena.

He described the 2009 final as “unforgettable” after he survived the longest match in Australian Open history in the semi-finals, against Fernando Verdasco, and then went the distance again versus Federer.

“Seriously, that final is one of the memories that will always be in my mind,” he said.

Earlier Federer, a four-time winner at Melbourne Park, was at his serene best in the afternoon heat as he made light of an expected tough test by Del Potro.

The 16-time grand slam winner, now 30, and playing his 1,000th tour-level match, barely gave the towering Argentine a look-in and he took it 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 after 1hr 59min of glorious tennis.

The victory put a broad smile on the face of the Swiss ace, who is aiming to become only the second man to win the Australian Open five times or more after Roy Emerson in the 1960s.

Federer and Nadal will resume their rivalry tomorrow, while top seed Novak Djokovic plays David Ferrer and Andy Murray takes on Kei Nishikori in today’s quarter-finals.

Classy Clijsters

Women’s defending champion Clijsters ousted top seed Wozniacki and ended her controversial reign as world number one with a straight-sets win in the quarter-finals.

Clijsters held off a determined fight-back from the 21-year-old Dane to win 6-3, 7-6 in 1hr 45min and set up a semi-final against third seed Victoria Azarenka, who beat Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

By failing to reach the last four, Wozniacki is guaranteed to lose her number one ranking to Azarenka, Petra Kvitova or Maria Sharapova when the new standings are released next Monday.

Wozniacki has occupied the top spot since October 11, 2010, apart from one week last February, but she has faced constant questions over her right to be considered the best women’s player, because she has never won a major title.

Former champion Sharapova and Ekaterina Makarova will contest an all-Russian quarter-final today, while Wimbledon title-holder Kvitova plays Sara Errani, of Italy.

Men’s 1,000 club

Roger Federer played his 1,000 tour-level match yesterday. Here is a list of players who have reached the milestone: