And it doesn’t make pretty reading for Wawrinka – who has lost each and every one of the six semi-final matches they have played against one another.

In fact, big hitting Wawrinka’s overall record against his Swiss counterpart is poor – he trails the 17-time Grand Slam champion 3-18 in that regard.

Of there semi-final encounters – only one has been at a major – with Federer triumphing in 2015 in New York.

On Tuesday, Wawrinka beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets to reach his third Australian Open semi and set up the all-Swiss clash.

The world number four won 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours, 15 minutes for his eighth Grand Slam semi-final appearance and has Federer, who cruised past Mischa Zverev, blocking his way to a fourth major final.

So often Wawrinka has been pushed into the background by the dazzling achievements of Federer, but he gets one of his rare chances for a prestige victory on Thursday.