Dominant Federer thrashes Soderling

Roger Federer sliced through fifth seed Robin Soderling with a 6-1, 6-1 victory to reach the Shanghai Masters tennis semi-finals yesterday. 

The third seed broke serve three times to wrap up the first set in 29 blistering minutes as Soderling played little more than a meek cameo role.

Federer now faces a last four showdown with Serb Novak Djokovic who trounced unseeded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-3.

Britain's Andy Murray brushed aside burly Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2 6-2 as he confirmed his return to form after a recent illness.

Murray took command early in the first set and was hardly troubled in the second as he advanced to last four.

Meanwhile, the ATP Tour may shorten its 11-month season by two or three weeks from 2012 to give players more rest and help them avoid injuries and burnout.

"We are taking a good, hard look at our calendar to see if there is a meaningful way to lengthen the off-season that would allow players more time for rest, fitness and working on their game," spokeswoman Kate Gordon said.