Andy Murray ruthlessly dismissed unseeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-1 6-2 to reach the Australian Open semi-finals for the fourth year in a row on Wednesday.

The third seeded Briton had spent just over seven hours on court in his previous four matches and only needed another 111 minutes to complete a one-sided hammering of the world number 36.

Chardy had won the last meeting between the two in Cincinnati in August but another upset was never on the cards and the US Open champion wrapped up victory when the Frenchman ballooned a forehand into the sky on Rod Laver Arena.

Murray, runner up at Melbourne Park in 2010 and 2011 will play the winner of the final match of the day between Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals.