PLAYER OF THE DAY: Simona Halep – the reigning Wimbledon champion made light work of Anett Kontaveit, dispatching the Estonian 6-1 6-1 in just 53 minutes to set up a tantalising semi-final clash with Garbine Muguruza.

STAT OF THE DAY: At his fifth Australian Open, perennial grand slam underachiever Alexander Zverev finally reached a major semi-final on his 19th attempt with a four-set win over 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I made the people of Australia a promise, I will keep that promise if it happens”: – Zverev vows to make good on his early pledge to donate his entire prize money of $4.12 million to bushfire relief if he wins the tournament.

TOURNAMENT SUMMARY: Halep will bid to make her second Australian Open final when she faces Muguruza, who is in the tournament’s last four for the first time, after Thursday’s first semi-final between Australia’s world No.1 Ashleigh Barty and American Sofia Kenin.