TENNIS: Federer edges Wawrinka thriller

Switzerland's Roger Federer, left, is congratulated by Germany's Mischa Zverev during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne

Roger Federer edged a five-set thriller against his fellow Swiss and close friend Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open yesterday to become the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 43 years.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion saw off the world number four 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and five minutes and will face either Rafael Nadal or Grigor Dimitrov in Sunday’s final.

It will be 35-year-old Federer’s sixth Australian final and 28th Grand Slam decider in total, and caps a marvellous comeback after the second half of last season was ruined by a knee injury.

The four-time Australian Open champion becomes the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final since Australia’s Ken Rosewall (39 years 310 days) at the 1974 US Open.