Roger Federer's invincibility was pierced, then pummelled and finally pulled apart at Melbourne Park , the world number one brutally ejected from the Australian Open semi-finals by Novak Djokovic.

The Swiss champion and top seed fell 7-5 6-3 7-6, ending his bid to reach an 11th consecutive grand slam final. Instead Djokovic will face muscular Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday's showpiece.

Where third seed Djokovic was thunderous, Federer was ponderous.

This defeat inflicted on Federer his first straight-sets loss since losing to Gustavo Kuerten in the 2004 French Open.

The holder of 12 grand slam crowns, his chase of Pete Sampras's record 14 is now on ice until the French Open.

Serb Djokovic was simply too strong, too steady. Where Federer inched past Djokovic in the last grand slam final, the U.S. Open in September, this time the Serb was always a nose ahead.