Roger Federer fights illness, Grigor Dimitrov to make Brisbane International semis

New Delhi: Defending champion Roger Federer fought off illness and strong challenge from Grigor Dimitrov to make the Brisbane International semi-finals at Queensland Tennis Centre.

The top-seed won the match in three grueling sets 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4 in two hour and eight minutes. In the semi-final, the Swiss maestro will play Dominic Thiem. The unseeded Austrian defeated third seed Marin Cilic from Croatia in three sets 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

The world number 28th Dimitrov fought back from a set down to win the second set in tie-breaker, with the set taking nearly an hour. The deciding set also looked all set for a tie-breaker, but the 17-time Grand Slam winner broke the 2013 Brisbane champion from Bulgaria in the sixth game, then hold onto his lead.