Crowd-pleaser Roger Federer staged an heroic recovery from a set and a break down against fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka to reach the semi-finals of the Stockholm Open 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 as home favourite Robin Soderling crashed out.

Hopes of a potential elite final between the tournament’s top two evaporated as Soderling went down to defeat against German outsider Florian Mayer 7-6 (10/8), 6-1.

Federer’s patchy game in the first set was unrecognisable from the powerhouse comeback which suddenly snapped into place as he trailed a set and 0-2 and which carried him to victory in just under two hours.

“It was looking pretty bad,” said Federer. “Stan was looking really good. Things were going quickly for me, I had no timing and was shanking balls.

“He was dominating, it was tough for me to stay in it. But I tried, I got lucky and all of a sudden I was back in the match. I fought my way out of this and I’m excited to be in the semis.”