Haase repeat can see Murray into Australian Open semi finals

Andy Murray will be well aware of the dangers posed by the forehand of Jeremy Chardy, but the Brit can be expected to enjoy a relatively comfortable passage into the Australian Open semi finals.

Meanwhile, in the later game devoid of such punishable heat, Roger Federer looks a strong candidate to move into the last four at the expense of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

However, we have settled for two 4/6 predictions that will hopefully build on a successful stint of tipping in the opening two quarter finals.

Andy Murray v Jeremy Chardy: 1st set under 9.5 games @ 4/6

The fact that Chardy won his last meeting with Murray in Cincinnati last year and has already dumped Juan Martin del Potro out of the Australian Open has led some to believe that another shock is on the cards here.

There are certainly worse 9/1 punts in a two-horse race than Chardy continuing his remarkable run in Melbourne in a Grand Slam where he had gone out in the first round in each of the last three years.

However, Murray has already proved against Robin Haase that he can retaliate against a player he had surprisingly lost to in their previous meeting.

Keeping the ball on the Chardy backhand will be key, while longer rallies would only serve him well given there are doubts over the state of the Frenchman’s injury-prone knee.

Murray should continue his run of straight-set victories, but this price is a little short at 1/3.

Preference is that the first set is over in nine games or fewer, which has occurred in all four of Murray’s Melbourne wins thus far this year and in three of his four previous victories over Chardy.

Roger Federer v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: Tie-break in the match @ 4/6

The fact that Tsonga did not win a single match with a top-eight opponent in 2012 is a worrying stat for him to overcome, while his only victory in his last five with Federer came courtesy of a walkover.

Federer is yet to have his serve broken in reaching the quarter finals and this is a solid effort given he has faced the likes of Bernard Tomic and Milos Raonic.

Tsonga will not play much differently, but does have some good news in that Federer has also found breaking opposition a challenge.

These both indicate that at least one set here will need to be settled via a tie-break, and a 7-6 set has featured in six of Federer’s last eight matches.

Meanwhile, four of the last six encounters between these two have seen at least one set go to a tie-break.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date