Wawrinka knocks Federer out of French Open

Paris, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Stan Wawrinka hasn't had much success in the past against Roger Federer, but he was clearly the better Swiss player on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the French Open.

Wawrinka entered Lenglen Court on Tuesday with a lifetime mark of 2-16 against the 17-time Grand Slam champion, but exited with a dominant 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) victory that put him into his first French Open semifinal.

Federer had won the past three meetings with his countrymate, including a 6-4, 6-2 thumping at the Rome semifinals earlier this spring. He had also been 4-0 against Wawrinka at major tournaments, which included fourth-round victories at Roland Garros in 2010 and 2011.

However, on Tuesday, the tables were completely turned.

Wawrinka was the clear aggressor throughout the match in blustery conditions. He blasted 43 winners to just 28 for Federer and kept the 2009 French champion on his heels for most of the match.

Federer failed to convert any of his four break-point opportunities and was broken three times by Wawrinka, who last beat Federer for the Monte Carlo title in 2014. His only other victory against Federer also came in Monte Carlo, five years earlier.

Wawrinka, a first-round loser last year on the famed red clay in the French capital, was a quarterfinalist in 2013. He will next play the winner between Kei Nishikori and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semis.

Federer dropped serve for the first time in the third game on Tuesday, then failed to convert a break point in the 10th game before Wawrinka sealed the set. Wawrinka then won four straight games to finish the second set.

The third went to a tiebreak and Wawrinka took control on an overruled line call. A Wawrinka forehand was called out, but the chair umpire said it was good for a 4-3 Wawrinka lead.

Federer was clearly unhappy with the decision and went on to lose the next two points, all but sealing his fate.

Wawrinka will play in his second major semifinal of the year. He lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semis while trying to defend his lone career Grand Slam title.

Federer has now lost in the quarterfinals or earlier in his last three visits to the French Open. He was also a third-round loser in Melbourne earlier this year.