Despite having never previously gone beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam, American ace Tommy Paul has been able to eclipse his past efforts and is through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

Paul came through an all-American quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton to reach the last four, overcoming his younger compatriot 7-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 to tee-up a semi-final showdown with nine-time Melbourne champion Novak Djokovic, while Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov meet in the other last-four clash.

He is a title winner on the ATP Tour - he won the 2021 Stockholm Open - but this is uncharted territory for the Floridian, who is the current world number 35.

The 25-year-old has overcome two seeded players in order to make the last four, toppling Spanish duo Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Roberto Bautista Agut, and will have to do so again if he is to get to the final.

With Djokovic 2/9 To Win Outright - lying in wait, the underdog is 20/1 to be crowned champion in Melbourne and, with the American being a relatively unknown proposition, here is all you need to know.

Who is Tommy Paul?

Having turned professional in 2015, Paul has taken some time to put his best foot forward. The 25-year-old only broke into the top 100 in 2019 and didn't win his first ATP Tour title until 2021, when landing top prize in Stockholm.

Unusually for an American player, the New Jersey-born man had originally favoured a clay surface, but that has changed over time and he is now versatile across all conditions.

It was always a matter of time until Paul went deep in a showpiece event, having won the French Open as a junior in 2015, as well as finishing as runner-up in the US equivalent.

Paul came into the first Grand Slam of the season as world number 35, but his efforts Down Under will see him break into the top 20 for the first time.

The American possesses a strong attacking forehand and has solid footwork along the baseline, which allows him to use his speed and regularly come into the net.

What is Tommy Paul's Grand Slam record?

This is a career-best effort from Paul in a Grand Slam and in making the semi-final he becomes the first American to reach the last four of the men's singles at the Australian Open since Andy Roddick in 2009.

Paul's three previous appearances in the Australian Open main draw had seen him crash out before the third round, while his previous best effort in a Grand Slam came at Wimbledon last summer when he reached the fourth round.

After recording five victories in Melbourne, Paul has taken his combined Grand Slam record to 16 wins and 13 defeats and he is now 66/1 to win his home US Open later this year.

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What was Tommy Paul's route to the semi-finals?

Paul kickstarted his Australian adventure with a convincing 6-1 7-6 6-2 victory over German Jan-Lennard Struff, but found things much tougher in round two.

The American came through a topsy-turvy second-round duel with Davidovich Fokina, coming from behind to win an epic five-setter to prevail against the Spaniard in just under four hours.

Paul made light work of fellow American Jenson Brooksby in his third match, dropping just eight games to tee up a fourth-round date with another Spaniard, Bautista Agut.

The world number 25 needed four sets but was a deserving winner, which set up his quarter-final meeting with younger compatriot Shelton.

The 20-year-old showed plenty of promise, but it was ultimately the extra experience which enabled Paul to come out on top in four sets and seal a first Grand Slam semi-final spot.

What is Tommy Paul's record against top-ten performers?

Despite making the Melbourne semi-finals, Paul has yet to face a player ranked above world number 24.

However, that is about to change as former world number one and nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic is next in line.

Interestingly, Paul has never faced the 21-time Grand Slam winner, but he has had some success against top-ten performers.

The 25-year-old has won six of his previous 18 meetings with then top-ten performers, which includes four landmark victories in 2022.

Last season Paul overcame Matteo Berrettini in Acapulco, Alexander Zverev in Indian Wells, world number one Carlos Alcaraz in Montreal and Rafael Nadal in Paris.

Those scalps highlight that Paul is improving, although this is the biggest match of his career and he is set to face one of the greatest players of all-time.