Stefanos Tsitsipas completes stunning fightback to beat Rafael Nadal in Australian Open quarter-final

Stefanos Tsitsipas has pulled off a exceptional victory within the Australian Open quarter-finals, combating again from two units all the way down to beat Rafael Nadal in an epic five-setter on Rod Laver Area.

Nadal appeared headed for a cushty win when he led 6-3, 6-2, however the Greek fifth seed confirmed super dedication to drive his method again into the competition by claiming the third and fourth units.

The decisive second of the fifth and ultimate set got here within the eleventh recreation when Nadal dropped serve for less than the second time within the match.

This allowed Tsitsipas to serve for the match at 6-5 and regardless of some nervous moments, he booked his passage by means of to the semi-finals with the 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-5 triumph after 4 hours and 5 minutes.

Will probably be Tsitsipas’s second look within the Australian Open semi-finals. He misplaced to Nadal in three units within the final 4 on the 2019 match.

He’ll play Daniil Medvedev within the second males’s semi-final on Friday night.

“I am speechless, I’ve no phrases to explain what simply occurred on the court docket,” Tsitsipas mentioned in his on-court interview.

“I began very nervous, I will not lie. However I do not know what occurred after the third set.

Nadal, the 2009 Australian Open champion, seemingly had command of Wednesday night’s match, having solely misplaced 5 video games within the opening two units.

Even when the third set went to a tie break, it appeared Tsitsipas would face an uphill battle stopping Nadal from wrapping up within the match.

However Tsitsipas stayed within the contest by successful the breaker 7-4. It was the primary set the second-seeded Nadal had misplaced within the match, and was punctuated by two uncharacteristic missed overheads from the Spaniard.

A single break of the Nadal serve within the fourth set proved sufficient for Tsitsipas to drive the match right into a deciding fifth.

Neither participant gave an inch within the early levels of the ultimate set they usually every regarded assured of their service video games.

Tsitsipas even served an ideal recreation when he fired down 4 consecutive aces to stage the set at 3-3.

They every held serve till Tsitsipas gained the essential break to maneuver forward 6-5.

Tsitsipas regarded on shaky floor when he went 0-30 down when serving for the match.

He recovered however blew his first two match factors, whereas Nadal had a break level to drive a fifth-set tie break.

Tsitsipas, nonetheless, saved the break level after which transformed on his third match level to finish Nadal’s Melbourne Park marketing campaign.

The loss leaves Nadal equal with Roger Federer on 20 grand slam wins, with Novak Djokovic transferring to 18 if he’s victorious at Melbourne Park for the ninth time.

“After all (I am) unhappy,” Nadal mentioned.

“I misplaced a match within the quarter-finals of an occasion which means loads to me.

“The Australian Open is one among my favorite occasions, no doubt. So I missed a chance to be within the semi-finals once more.”

The victory over Nadal is the second of Tsitsipas’s profession, the opposite coming when he shocked the Spaniard on clay within the semi-finals of the 2019 Madrid Masters.

Medvedev wins in straight units

The fourth-seeded Medvedev will take a 19-match successful streak into his semi-final in opposition to Tsitsipas after defeating fellow Russian Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.

Medvedev and Rublev had been teammates when Russia received the ATP Cup workforce within the week earlier than the Australian Open.

They had been on reverse sides of the online on Wednesday afternoon, with Medvedev dominating his countryman of their quarter-final.

“It is by no means straightforward,” Medvedev mentioned in his on-court interview.

“However we’re all so aggressive. In the course of the match, you’ll be able to see nothing issues. Simply have to win … to achieve the semis of a grand slam [tournament].”

Medvedev is into the semi-finals of a serious for the third time in his profession. Will probably be his first look within the final 4 on the Australian Open.

ABC/AP