MELBOURNE : Record-breaker Roger Federer made it to his 23rd consecutive Grand Slam semi-final after ending Russian Nikolay Davydenko’s hot streak at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The Swiss world number one misfired for the first set and a half, then went on a winning run of 13 games before holding off a late comeback to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 in two hours 36 minutes.

The 15-time Grand Slam champion, bidding for his fourth Australian title, will now play either Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic or French 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Friday’s semi-final.

Federer had been beaten by sixth seeded Davydenko in their two previous matches and yet again the Russian gave him problems before the Swiss sealed it on his second match point.

“I was in a tough situation at 6-2, 3-1 down and 15-40 on my serve, but that’s the beauty of best-of-five sets,” Federer said.

“I wasn’t panicking, I just relaxed and thought if the sun goes and his level drops just a little bit, the whole thing might change for the better and it did. I couldn’t believe the way it changed.

“I’m happy the way I was able to go on an incredible run and get the cushion with the extra break at the beginning of the fourth.

“I mean winning that many games in a row against a player that’s been on fire like this, it’s a great sign.”

Federer also ended the Russian’s 13-match unbeaten streak stretching back from the ATP World Tour Finals in London last November.

The victory continued his amazing Grand Slam sequence of having never missed making the semi-finals since his third round defeat to Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten at Roland Garros in 2004.

No other player in history has appeared in more than 10 consecutive semi-finals.

“It’s incredible looking back on how many years it is now that I’m able to deliver at Grand Slam play, especially this year,” he said.

“I was just a bit worried I was not going to make it this time in the semis. You always believe the streak is going to be broken.

“Now the record is safe again and I’ve been able to add one more. It’s amazing. Definitely one of the most incredible things I have in my resume.”

The win also ensured that Federer would stay the number one player in the world when the new rankings are released on Monday.

If he had lost against Davydenko and Djokovic had gone on to win the final here, the Serb would have taken the top ranking.

It was a tough ending for Davydenko, who was making his 10th Grand Slam quarter-final appearance and fourth in six years at the Australian Open.

He is yet to progress past the semi-final stage in Grand Slams.

“Again, again, again, it’s like the same thing that happened in the last Grand Slam. I had chances but I didn’t take them and I lost,” said the frustrated Davydenko.

“It was bad luck for me again in the fourth set.”

Federer was woefully off-form in the first 13 games, clocking up 27 errors, before he got his first break point on Davydenko’s serve in the sixth game of the second set.

He broke the Russian with a scorching forehand deep to the corner as he went on a demoralising run of 13 games to seize control of the match.

The Russian steadied and both exchanged service breaks before Federer missed his first match point in attempting to serve out for the match.

But Federer had the final word, breaking Davydenko in the 11th game before serving out to love for the match.