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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Nadal fights off Dimitrov to reach semis

World number one Rafael Nadal fought off a big challenge from rising Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Published: 22 January 2014 10:16 CET
Nadal fights off Dimitrov to reach semis
"I was so lucky, after saving set points in the third set," said Majorcan Rafa Nadal of his victory. Photo: Paul Crock/AFP

Nadal got home 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 in three hours 37 minutes and now will play either Andy Murray or Roger Federer for a place in Sunday's final.

For long passages of the quarter-final on Rod Laver Arena, Nadal was struggling to put away the 22nd-seeded Dimitrov, and he needed a bit of luck at crucial stages to go through.

"I was so lucky, after saving set points in the third set," he said. "He just missed an easy forehand… Today was for me, so I'm so happy."

Nadal was playing after three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic was upset by Stanislas Wawrinka late on Tuesday, and there were times when he looked like becoming another casualty.

Nadal's serve, troubled by a large blister on his left hand, was shaky and he gave up seven double-faults, including two of them on break points.

But the 2009 Australian Open champion won through to his fourth semi-final in Melbourne and his 22nd in Grand Slams, while extending his winning streak to 10 matches.

Dimitrov, 22, who was bidding to become only the second Bulgarian to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, showed what an emerging talent he is to have Nadal under pressure for long periods.

Nadal's opening serve was broken and Dimitrov controlled the remainder of the set as the 13-time Grand Slam champion dropped his first set of the tournament.

Nadal began to test the legs of the young Bulgarian with some longer, physical rallies in the second set, but after breaking Dimitrov's serve he handed back the break with three double-faults in the third game.

The set went to a tiebreaker which Nadal comfortably won with an exquisite backhand flick across court to level the match.

But just when the top seed looked to be getting on top, after breaking the Bulgarian's serve in the fifth game, Nadal's shaky serve again cost him with a double-fault on break point.

Nadal fought off set point as the third set went into another tiebreaker and he was fortunate to survive after Dimitrov just missed a forehand winner to the corner on his first of two set points.

Nadal quickly seized the advantage to get to set point, and Dimitrov lost the set with an overhit forehand off a net cord.

Dimitrov was broken in the second game of the final set, after six deuces, on a Nadal backhand pass and the Spaniard went on to claim victory on his fourth match point.

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ROGER FEDERER

Roger Federer relieved after getting past ‘mirror’ Evans

Defending champion Roger Federer reached the Australian Open third round for a 20th straight year Wednesday but admitted it had been tough to get past his 'mirror' image Dan Evans.

Published: 16 January 2019 15:08 CET
Roger Federer relieved after getting past 'mirror' Evans
"Playing a player like Dan Evans is like facing myself," the 37-year-old Federer said after his match against the Brit. Photo: AFP

Britain's world number 189 slowed the Fed Express to a crawl, keeping the Swiss master battling for more than two hours to win the opening two sets before finally succumbing 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who is gunning for a record seventh Melbourne Park title and third in a row, admitted he had been given an unusual challenge by the 28-year-old, who plays a similar style of tennis.

“Playing a player like Dan Evans is like facing myself,” the 37-year-old Federer said. 

“It feels like playing a mirror a little bit. That was my mindset heading into it — how would I play myself potentially?”

Evans, whose ranking plummeted from a career-high 41 after he was slapped with a year-long ban for testing positive to cocaine in April 2017, played almost flawless tennis to stave off a set point on his way to forcing a first set tie-break.

He even had the temerity to lead 5-3 in the breaker before Federer stepped up a gear and reeled off the next four points to secure the set with a cry of “Come on!”.

“It always helps when you sneak a break in the first set,” said the Swiss star after a ding-dong contest lasting 2hr 35min. “The match might have been different.”

Federer said he had expected Evans to cause him more problems than when he cruised through their previous Grand Slam meeting at Wimbledon in 2016 for the loss of just eight games.

“I have high regard, you know, in Dan. I think he's a good player. I've seen him play some really good matches over the years, I see why he can cause difficulties,” he said.

“He's got a nice slice, defending the court well. He has the variation, which is always a hard thing to play against.

'Cat and mouse'

“He was very sort of cat and mouse. I liked the match. It was enjoyable.”

The loss of the first set after exactly an hour was harsh on Evans who had committed only two unforced errors and constantly put the third seed under pressure with his scampering, attacking game and flurry of winners off both wings.

The plucky Evans, who had covered acres of ground and found the lines unerringly, needed treatment for blisters on both feet before the second set started and immediately was broken.

But he refused to lie down and broke back as Federer served for the set to force another tie-break.

“I thought I might have pulled away midway through the second set,” added Federer. “But I couldn't, to his credit. He played well.”

The Swiss great hasn't often needed luck during his unparalleled career but he took advantage of some in the third set to finally ease the pressure.

Holding break point at 2-1, he barely scooped up a half-volley which grabbed the net cord and toppled over forcing Evans to go long.

A service game to love followed to put Federer 4-1 up and the brave resistance of Evans was finally broken.

The veteran will play unseeded American Taylor Fritz in the last 32.