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YOUNG Stefanos Tsitsipas signalled a changing of the guard at the top of world tennis as he shocked defending champion Roger Federer in the Australian Open fourth round yesterday.

The 20-year-old NextGen Finals champion beat Federer, who is 17 years his senior, 6-7 (11-13), 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) on Rod Laver Arena.

Tsitsipas, seeded 14, became the first Greek in history to reach the quarterfinals of a Slam where he will meet Spain’s 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Rampant Rafael Nadal continued to scatter Australian Open rivals, barrelling past former world No 4 Tomas Berdych 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) to tear into the quarterfinals.

The Spanish second seed is yet to drop a set and blasted out of the blocks to win nine games in a row against the Czech. He then brutally kept his foot on the throat to win in 2hr 5min minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Next in the firing line is 21-year-old unseeded American Frances Tiafoe.

American Frances Tiafoe celebrated his 21st birthday by stunning Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 7-6(6) 6-7(1) 7-5 in the fourth round.

Tiafoe, the last American man standing at Melbourne Park, fended off four early break points in a sluggish start before taking his own opportunities on Dimitrov’s serve to claim the opening set.

Former Melbourne semifinalist Dimitrov had three sets points to draw level but Tiafoe refused to wilt under the pressure and reeled off five straight points to move two sets ahead.

Dimitrov, who has slipped just outside the top 20 in the world after early exits in his last three Grand Slams appearances, dug deep to fight his way back, claiming the third set in another tiebreak.

But Tiafoe was back on top in the fourth set, clinching a decisive break in the 11th game before serving out to seal a quarterfinal against either Rafael Nadal or Tomas Berdych.

Roberto Bautista Agut held firm in a tense five-set duel to knock sixth seed Marin Cilic out of the Australian Open and book his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal.

The 22nd-seeded Spaniard captured the decisive break in the ninth game of the final set before serving out strongly to claim a 6-7(6) 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-4 win at Margaret Court Arena.

Bautista Agut, who knocked an injured Andy Murray out of the first round, threw his arms up in the air and roared in triumph.

The 30-year-old will face the winner of the match between Roger Federer and Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the semifinals.