Six-time champion Novak Djokovic reached the Australian Open semi-finals after Japan’s eighth seed Kei Nishikori retired injured in their quarter-final.
Serbia’s Djokovic, 31, was leading 6-1 4-1 when Nishikori quit with a thigh problem.
Every time Djokovic has reached the last four in Melbourne he has gone on to win the tournament.
The top seed will face Lucas Pouille in Friday’s semi-final, after the Frenchman defeated Milos Raonic.
Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal and Greece’s talented 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas will contest the other semi-final on Thursday.
Djokovic has not lost to Nishikori in their past 15 meetings, stretching back to the Japanese’s victory in their 2014 US Open semi-final.
“I love to battle especially against Kei, we have played so many matches in our careers,” Djokovic said.
“I hope he can recover and it is not something very serious that will take too long.
“I am sorry for everyone not having a full match tonight but thank you for showing up.”
After beating Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a gruelling last-16 match on Monday, Djokovic said he had a back injury which he “hoped” to manage before facing Nishikori.
Any fears the 14-time Grand Slam champion may be hampered were quickly allayed.
Once he broke in the second game for a 2-0 lead, plus again in a sixth game where Nishikori coughed up two double faults for 5-1, it never looked like he would lose on Rod Laver Arena.
Nishikori had spent almost 14 hours on court in his four matches up to the quarters, over four hours more than the Serb.
And it showed as the Japanese player’s hopes were ruined by injury.
He called a medical time-out at the end of a first set which he lost in 31 minutes, requiring treatment from a physio on his right quad before returning to the court with heavy strapping.
The former world number four lasted another five games – losing serve in two – but was clearly struggling and decided he could not carry on with less than an hour on the clock.
“This is what the doctor ordered for after two nights ago, not to spend too much time on the court,” Djokovic joked.’
Nishikori, 29, had spent almost 14 hours on court in his four matches on route to the quarters – over four hours more than Djokovic.
The four-time Australian Open quarter-finalist needed more than five hours to beat Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in their last-16 match on Monday.
Meanwhile, Serena Williams says she “did not choke” after missing four match points as Czech seventh seed Karolina Pliskova won the final six games to win a dramatic Australian Open quarter-final.
The 37-year-old American, going for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, led 5-1 in the decider but lost 6-4 4-6 7-5 in Melbourne.
“I think she just played lights out on match points,” Williams said.
“I took my chances,” said Pliskova who won on her third match point.
Former world number one Pliskova will meet Japan’s fourth seed Naomi Osaka in the last four on Thursday with eighth seed Petra Kvitova taking on unseeded American Danielle Collins in the other semi-final.
Williams, seeded 16th, played down an ankle injury which she suffered during the rally on her first match point when serving at 5-1, 40-30.
The seven-time Australian Open champion did not win another point on serve after the incident.
“She was hitting lines and went crazy. She played unbelievable on match points,” Williams said.
“It was nothing to do with my ankle. Obviously I made some mistakes but she played really well.”
Williams’ inability to seal victory means a highly anticipated rematch of her controversial US Open final defeat by 21-year-old Osaka must wait.
Like Osaka, Pliskova will be playing in the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time and is one victory from appearing in her second Grand Slam final, following defeat by Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the 2016 US Open.
Pliskova had led by a set and a break at 3-2 before the momentum swung to Williams and victory appeared a formality after she won nine games out of 10 and set up a match point.
But the momentum then swung back again to Pliskova in a chaotic encounter.
Former world number one Williams was considered the favourite to win the women’s singles, and a first major title since giving birth to her daughter in September 2017, despite not playing competitively since losing to Osaka in New York.
An eighth triumph in Melbourne would have seen her move level with the 44-year-old major wins record set by Margaret Court – but she lost in remarkable circumstances next door to the stadium named after the Australian.
After fighting back from an error-strewn first set to level, Williams manoeuvred herself into a winning position as Pliskova looked beaten in the decider.
Then came a gripping finale which left Williams – and those watching on Laver – stunned.
Holding match point at 5-1, Williams was called for a foot fault and then lost a rally with a forehand into the net.
That was compounded by her appearing to turn her ankle in the process, with a double fault and unforced backhand error giving Pliskova the break – and a glimpse of hope.
Pliskova seized that opportunity and the momentum which came with it, breaking to love for 5-4 and then holding serve, after saving three more match points, to level.
Williams’ serve disintegrated as Pliskova, with the help of a double fault and then a rasping forehand winner for 0-40, broke to love again which left her serving for the match.
Despite a minor blip as Williams saved two match points, Pliskova held her nerve to claim victory in two hours and 10 minutes.
