Top seed Roger Federer advanced to the Australian Open semi-finals with a straight sets quarter-final win over American James Blake at Rod Laver Arena.

Federer lifted on the points that mattered in the first two sets, then overpowered Blake in the third for a 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victory in just over two hours.

The world No.1 will now play third seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the semi-finals - a rematch of the 2007 US Open final which the Swiss won.

The 20-year-old Serb apologised to the crowd at Rod Laver Arena for telling them to shut the hell up during one rare moment in the quarter-final when Ferrer managed to briefly apply the blow torch.

A jittery Djokovic had just blown four match points and failed to serve out the contest at 5-4 in the third set when he lost his cool.

"I behaved badly," he said after his 6-0 6-3 7-5 victory.

"It's a professional sport and sometimes it's hard to control your emotions.

"You have to deal with that and with pressure and with all the fans and everything around the court, and (behave) outside of the court in a most professional way.

"Today I did something that could cause a third-set loss and then who knows in what direction would match go. But this is something I'll work on, just to try to focus on court."

Apart from his third-set spit, the third seed was in complete control, dispatching Ferrer - the world No.5 and 2007 Masters Cup runner-up - in two hours, 14 minutes to set up a semi-final on Friday against either world No.1 Roger Federer or American 12th seed James Blake, who were playing.

"I'm very happy with my performance today, even though I was struggling a little bit in the end," Djokovic said.

"I knew that I would have to play every point with hundred per cent focus because David is kind of player who runs all the time and tries to get in the match and, physically, is one of the fittest players on the ATP Tour.

"So I was aware of that fact, and that's why I was quite nervous in the end."

Djokovic has now reached the semi-finals at all four slams - and the last four on the trot - having fallen at the penultimate stage to Rafael Nadal at the French Open and Wimbledon last year and then losing to Federer in the championship match at the US Open.

"It's an amazing feeling," he said.

"They were saying the year after breakthrough year is the most difficult one. But I'm feeling really, really good at the moment - physically and mentally.

"And as you can see on the court, I'm showing all my strength. I'm playing with a lot of confidence.

"I have more experience now. I play with more patience and that was one of the goals and this is just the start. Hopefully I can go all the way."

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