French giantkiller Richard Gasquet has spoiled the big four’s scheduled semi-final party to join grand slam heavyweights Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray in the last four at Wimbledon.

Gasquet upset fourth-seeded French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in an epic five-setter on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals for the second time at the All England club and book a showdown on Friday with world No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic.

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Two days after eliminating Australia’s last hope Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round, Gasquet snapped Wawrinka’s 11-match grand slam winning streak with a thrilling 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-4 11-9 triumph.

Gasquet, who first made the semis in 2007, served for the match at 5-3 in the deciding set, only to falter from 30-0 up.

But he recovered to advance 12 games later when Wawrinka blasted a backhand long after three hours and 27 minutes.

“I really wanted it. It was tough after leading 5-3 but I kept fighting. It would’ve been difficult to lose,” Gasquet said.

Gasquet’s victory denied tennis fans a French Open final sequel between Djokovic and Wawrinka.

Djokovic earlier outclassed ninth-seeded Marin Cilic, the reigning US Open champion, 6-4 6-4 6-4 to cruise into the last four on London’s hallowed grass for the sixth straight year.

The top seed’s milestone 650th career victory – and 50th at Wimbledon – also thrust the 28-year-old Serb into a 27th grand slam semi-final in total.

Only Federer (37), Jimmy Connors (31) and Ivan Lendl (28) boast more appearances at the penultimate stage of a major.

“The top players are expected to reach the semi-finals of grand slams, but I try not to take it for granted,” Djokovic said.

Federer and Murray both overcame two rain delays to set up their blockbuster semi-final on Friday.

The stoppages aside, Federer swept past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-3 7-5 6-2 in 94 minutes to surge into the last four for the 10th time before Murray took out Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-4 7-5 6-4 to reach his sixth semi-final at SW19.

In the only blip in an otherwise sublime display, second-seeded Federer dropped serve for the first time in 116 games, an extraordinary run stretching nine matches back to his second-round encounter at Halle against Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The lapse occurred when the great Swiss was serving at 5-4 in the second set, but he struck back immediately before holding once more to take a commanding two-sets-to-love lead.

No let-up, Federer broke Simon in the opening game of the third set as he continued his quest for an unprecedented eighth men’s singles crown.

Turning 34 next month, the 17-times major winner is also bidding to become the oldest Wimbledon singles champion in professional tennis history.

While Prince William, wife Kate and Prince Albert of Monaco watched Murray from the Royal Box on centre court, Federer had tennis royalty of his own in Rod Laver among the spectators on court one to witness the Swiss’ latest majestic display.

Federer will be meeting Murray at Wimbledon for the first time since the magical summer of 2012 when he beat the Scot to land his record-equalling seventh title there before Murray turned the tables in the Olympic final.

“We both like to look back on that summer of 2012,” Federer said.

“If we knew I would win Wimbledon and him Olympics, I think we both would have taken it. It was a great summer for us.”