Jo-Wilfried Tsonga played down a verbal spat with Stan Wawrinka after becoming the latest lump of road kill on the Swiss's drive for yet more grand slam glory.
Wawrinka ousted Tsonga 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-3 in a niggly encounter on Tuesday to move to within two wins of a second Australian Open crown - four months after reigning in New York.
He will play inspired countryman Roger Federer on Thursday night for a place in Sunday's final after his Davis Cup and gold medal-winning Olympics teammate swept past German giantkiller Mischa Zverev 6-1 7-5 6-2.
"It's going to be a great match, for sure," Wawrinka said.
"Last time I think I got killed in the (2015) US Open. He was playing way better than me; moving really well, really aggressive from the court.
"It's going to be interesting match. He's playing so well since the beginning of the tournament.
"He had a little bit some hesitation in the two first rounds, but since that he's really flying on the court.
"It's great to see him back at that level. Hopefully I can manage to play a great match."
The 31-year-old's victory over Tsonga was his 12th in a row at major level - but certainly wasn't without incident.
The two seeds were involved in an animated exchange after Wawrinka won the opening set, apparently over eye contact.
"What did you say? You're the one looking at me and talking to me. What are you looking for?" Wawrinka barked at Tsonga in French.
"Come on, let it go. Did I look at you once?"
Tsonga later preferred to keep it personal.
"Yeah, sometimes it happens. Sometimes it happens. We can talk during the game," he said.
"Nothing special, yeah. We just spoke about things that I think is only between him and me, and that's it."
Wawrinka admitted Tsonga - who made the final in Melbourne in 2008 - was always a tough customer to deal with, but said the on-court stress was normal for the latter stages of a slam.
"The beginning of the match was quite tense from both sides," the combative fourth seed said.
"We were maybe a little bit looking too much about what the other will do, waiting a little bit the other to do something on the court.
"It's not only a grand slam quarter-final, it's a tennis match."
"You can always have some tension. Everybody goes on the court to win the matches. Things can happen.
"But at the end there is no problem after the match."
