Swiss Showdown: Breaking down the Aussie Open semi

For years, Roger Federer has been the most prolific tennis player from Switzerland. Throughout his own respectable career, Stan Wawrinka was like his younger brother, cast under a very overbearing and dark shadow, as Federer racked up majors, fame and fortune. Wawrinka didn't make things easier on himself, losing 13 of his first 14 matches against his good friend.

But since the 2014 Australian Open, things have changed. Wawrinka has won three major titles, while Federer has failed to win a Grand Slam since 2012.

Now they each have a chance to advance to another major final when they face each other in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.

“For sure now I'm more confident with myself,” Wawrinka said after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals. “It's always special because he's so good. He's the best player of all time. He has answer for everything. But I managed to beat him in a Grand Slam, so we'll see.”

Judging by their head-to-head alone (it's 18-3 in favor of Federer), it would appear that Federer is the favorite in their seventh Grand Slam encounter. He also won their last two matches, including the 2015 US Open semifinals.

But Wawrinka is not only a different player than he was in most of those all-Swiss showdowns, lately, he has played his best tennis on the biggest stages.

Take the 2015 French Open for example. Wawrinka beat Federer in straight sets to move into the semifinals and eventually win his second Grand Slam.

Wawrinka has also proven recently that lopsided head-to-heads don't bother him. Since the beginning of 2014, Wawrinka and 12-time major titlist Novak Djokovic have played four times in Grand Slams. The Swiss has won three of those four, with two coming in the finals (Djokovic leads their career head-to-head 19-5).

This week, the setting for the Federer and Wawrinka match is at its most unusual. The 17-time major winner’s ranking has fallen to No. 17 after injuries last year, while Wawrinka comes in as the higher seed with a No. 4 world ranking.

While that makes Wawrinka the favorite by seeding, Federer is only focused on his side of the court.

“I felt I was always going to be dangerous on any given day in a match situation. But obviously as the tournament would progress, maybe I would fade away with energy,” Federer said after his quarterfinal win over surprise quarterfinalist Mischa Zverev. “If someone would have told me I'd play in the semis against Stan, never would I have called that one for me.”

But Federer has gotten through a tough section in the draw by beating No. 10 seed Tomas Berdych and No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori in the third and fourth rounds, respectively—though he avoided facing world No.1 Andy Murray.

But the question still remains: After missing six months of competition in 2016, is Federer match-tough enough to hang with an opponent who has the massive ball-striking capability of Wawrinka from the baseline on both wings over the course of five sets?

The world will know soon enough. On Thursday, a legend will continues his quest for an 18th major, while a future Hall of Famer will try to continue a run for his second crown Down Under.