Rafael Nadal storms into the semi-final!
World No. 2 #RafaelNadal continues his bid to win his second Australian Open title with a masterful display against #FrancesTiafoe! #AUSOpen
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 22, 2019
LIVE: https://t.co/wCJSKES3PZpic.twitter.com/iyT1UyGAin
Rafael Nadal storms into the semi-final!
First time they've met.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019
And we're pretty sure it won't be the last...@RafaelNadal and @FTiafoe 🤝#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/x0wGsCzgvM
Rafael Nadal storms into the semi-final
Nadal says its's an emotional return for him giving how he exited with an injury at the same stage last year. Nadal says that the NextGen needs to wait for their chance but admits that it looks like they don't want to as the crowd laughs along with the Spaniard. On his semi-final opponent Tsitsipas, Nadal says that he's a player who has been improving every month last year. He is able to win against the best players of the world already. He is a great player and will be one of the best players in years to come. Nadal also says that he worked on his serve and forehand during the offseason to win points quicker and prolong his career. On Carlos Moya's impact, Nadal says that with Moya, he's practising different and says it is good to view things from a different perspective.
Tiafoe vs Nadal 3-6, 4-6, 2-6. Rafael Nadal storms into semi-final!
Nadal starts with two fierce aces out wide. He loses a point but gets two match points with a classic serve and putaway before clinching the match off a Tiafoe error. Game, set and match, Nadal! Brutal display of tennis from the 2009 champion. He exchanges a hug with Tiafoe at the net and gives him a few words of encouragement. Next up for Nadal is the Greek sensation, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Tiafoe vs Nadal 3-6, 4-6, 2-5*
Two Tiafoe forehand errors gives Nadal a 30-0 lead. Tiafoe makes his way to the net and goes well to close down the angle on Nadal's forehand side which leads to Rafa hitting his return wide. But Nadal cranks up the pressure and gets the break to get within a game of making it to the semi-finals.
Preview: Relentless Rafael Nadal will aim to snuff out the challenge of young giant-killer Frances Tiafoe Tuesday, while young Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas has eyes on a maiden Australian open semi-final after knocking out Roger Federer.
The Australian Open hits the quarter-final stage in Melbourne with 17-time Grand Slam winner Nadal emerging as a strong title favourite.
The Spaniard has not dropped a set and demolished former world number four Tomas Berdych 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) in the fourth round in an awesome display.
Lying in his path is American Tiafoe who has already accounted for the fifth seed Kevin Anderson and become a fans' favourite with his exuberant LeBron James style celebrations and inspiring life story.
The son of immigrants from Sierra Leone, Tiafoe turned 21 on Sunday and celebrated his birthday by beating 20th seed Grigor Dimitrov to reach a Slam quarter-final for the first time.
"I wasn't a normal tennis story," he told reporters, revealing he had already managed to buy his mother a house in Maryland and help his janitor dad.
"The beginning of my career I was trying to do everything for my family. Obviously now I put them in a great place. Now I'm trying to do it for me.
"I'm so excited to play Rafa. We're going to have some fun, going to have some long rallies."
Nadal said he was aware of the young world number 39, and would be on his guard against a man he had never played.
"He has everything. He's quick. He serve well. Very quick forehand," said the 2009 champion who is aiming to become the only man in the Open era to win all four Grand Slams at least twice.
'He's dangerous': Nadal
"He's a very dynamic player, aggressive one. Of course, he's dangerous. He's in quarter-finals."
Tsitsipas was thrust into the global spotlight after ending double defending champion Federer's quest for a record seventh Australian Open.
The gifted 20-year-old has already secured his place in history as the first Greek to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final.
He held off 12 break points before flummoxing the Swiss master in four sets.
"This win is a good milestone, let's say good first step to something bigger," said the exciting 2018 NextGen Champion.
"I'm really pumped and excited to be competing in the quarter-finals. I'm really waiting for that moment."
He faces another Spaniard, the in-form Roberto Bautista Agut.
The 22nd seed beat Novak Djokovic on his way to the title in Doha earlier this month before ending Andy Murray's hopes, and possibly his career, in the first round in Melbourne.
Bautista Agut is looking to extend his 2019 win streak to 10 matches and a potential all-Spanish semi-final against Nadal.
"Tsitsipas is doing very well," said Bautista Agut. "He's one of the top players in the world. He will be one of the best, for sure. He's playing at a very high level."
With inputs from AFP
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Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk says the WTA Tour has ignored a request for a meeting with players from the war-torn nation in the latest signs of the conflict-related tensions in women's tennis.
Daniil Medvedev showed little ill effect from the twisted ankle he suffered a day earlier as he pushed his ATP match winning streak to 18 straight.
