Impressive fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas stormed past Frenchman Gilles Simon for the loss of just four games to kick off his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title in emphatic fashion on Tuesday.

France is captained by world number 55 Gilles Simon, and both Benoit Paire and Gael Monfils credited the 35-year-old with helping them overcome their opponents.

Marin Cilic took to Facebook to apologise to his fans and organisers of the tournament.

Roger Federer has not hit top form all week in Basel and he needed more than two-and-a-half hours to hold off the troublesome French veteran.

The 33-year-old Frenchman did not disappoint his home crowd as he beat the Croatian in three sets 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the final of the tournament.

Roger Federer's freak knee accident - reportedly as he played with his children last Saturday in a Melbourne park following his semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic - has caused major repercussions at the Rotterdam World Tennis tournament, which usually draws at least one world-class headliner.

Novak Djokovic battled for four hours, 32 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena before beating Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and will now play Japan's Kei Nishikori in the Australian Open last eight.

Gilles Simon suffered knee and ankle injuries after taking nasty falls in his 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-0 defeat against Andy Murray.

Gilles Simon, the world number 11, took just less than two hours to demolish James Ward on the grass-courts of Queen's Club in west London.

Roger Federer will be playing his 37th Grand Slam semifinal on Friday.