Roger Federer rolled back the years with a sublime 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 win over unseeded Mischa Zverev to set up a tantalising Australian Open semifinal with Stanislas Wawrinka, who had earlier on Tuesday beaten Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets as well.

Playing the lowest ranked player in the quarterfinals may have given most players a false sense of invisibility, but when that same player is the man who has defeated Andy Murray in the previous round, it would not be wise to underestimate him.

And Federer raced out of the blocks, wrapping up the first set in an incredible time of just 19 minutes, winning the first five games as a shellshocked Zverev didn't know what hit him.

While the German recovered in the second set somewhat, breaking 17-time Grand Slam champion to take a 3-1 lead, the Swiss Master responded with a break of his own to level proceedings without breaking a sweat.

Serving to stay in the set at 5-4 down, Federer reeled off the next three games in quick succession to put the balance of the tie firmly in his favour. Considering the fact that he had upset 5th-seed Kei Nishikori in a marathon five-set in the fourth-round, this was an impressive feat as the Swiss maestro had come into the Australian Open lacking match practice.

The third set was pretty straightforward after Federer broke Zverev in the fifth game and in typically ruthless fashion, broke him again in his next service game to serve for the match.

And despite a late hiccup, in which he had to save a break point, Federer made it look easy, slamming a forehand winner to take the match in little over a hour and a half.

Remarkable stuff for player who is 35-years-old and allegedly in the twilight of his career, not to mention recovering from the biggest ever injury lay-off which had raised plenty of doubts about his ability to go toe-to-toe with much younger opponents in unforgiving conditions Down Under.

And those doubts have been answered in stunning fashion, regardless of the outcome of his match with the in-form Wawrinka, as the age-old adage of ‘Form is temporary but class is permanent certainly applies to the ever-graceful Roger Federer.