French Open 2019: Roger Federer sets up Rafael Nadal semi-final with win over Stanislas Wawrinka

Defending champion Nadal continued his blistering form at Roland Garros as he hammered Kei Nishikori in straight sets 6-1 6-1 6-3 in only one hour and 51 minutes earlier on Tuesday in an ominous display of his clay court superiority.

It will be 37-year-old Federer's 44th Grand Slam semi-final after outgunning Wawrinka over three hours and 35 minutes of a pulsating dust-up in the last eight in which he hit back from a break down in the third set to ensure he would not suffer a fourth career defeat in 26 meetings to Wawrinka.

Federer last competed at the French Open in 2015 when he lost in the last eight in straight sets to Wawrinka, who progressed to claim the title four years ago.

But it is a different story this year with 20-times Grand Slam winner Federer - whose solitary French Open title came in 2009 - reaching the last four at Roland Garros for an eighth time and the first time since 2012 when he lost to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

Federer and Nadal have met five times at Roland Garros since 2005 with the Spanish player yet to lose a match to his fierce rival on his favourite surface.

Nadal has dropped only four sets in those matches with four wins coming in the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011 finals.

Federer faces Nadal in the semi-final in what will be the 39th instalment of their rivalry.

The third seed took a tight opening set but 24th seed Wawrinka broke early in the second on his way to levelling it.

Wawrinka appeared to be gaining the upper hand when he broke the Federer serve midway through the third set but Federer hit back immediately and played a another great tiebreaker.

Dark storm clouds closed in as the battle continued in the fourth set and play was interrupted for an hour at 3-3.

On the restart Wawrinka dropped serve at 4-4 to leave Federer serving for the match. He double-faulted on one match point and needed to save a break point but finally sealed victory with a volley