DUBAI - Five-times champion Roger Federer brushed aside Lukas Rosol on Thursday to set up a mouthwatering semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic in the Dubai Championship.

Federer eased through 6-2 6-2 while holder Djokovic enjoyed a walkover when quarter-final opponent Mikhail Youzhny withdrew through illness.

Third seed Tomas Berdych, who finished runner-up to Djokovic in 2013, faces seventh seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the other semi-final.

Berdych overcame fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4 6-3 while Kohlschreiber beat Tunisian wildcard Malek Jaziri 6-2 6-3.

Federer holds a 16-15 lead in head-to-head matches with Djokovic but the Serb has won their last three meetings, including their most recent match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London in November.

"We know each other very well, and we’ve played each other everywhere and all the surfaces, you name it,” Federer told atpworldtour.com.