Nadal overcomes Thiem to reach semifinals
By DPA
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)
Rafael Nadal overcame a stern test from Dominic Thiem to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open on Wednesday, battling from behind to beat the fifth-seeded Austrian 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6) in a match that lasted more than four hours.
Nadal will face No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic in the semifinals on Friday. Djokovic advanced to the final four with a straight-sets win over No. 23 seed Milos Raonic on Tuesday.
"It was a great match," Nadal said. "I played against a great opponent. He's one of the toughest opponents on the tour. I'm very happy to be in the semifinals again."
Thiem, who is one of the most dangerous players on the tour when he's at his best, pushed Nadal to the limit in a match that was full of long rallies and dramatic twists and turns.
Nadal, the reigning US Open champion, eventually prevailed by winning the final two points of the fourth-set tiebreaker. He clinched the victory with a forehand winner that left Thiem shaking his head in disbelief.
Nadal is now one step closer to winning his second Australian Open title and his 20th Grand Slam title overall.
Conclusion:
Nadal's victory over Thiem was a testament to his fighting spirit and his ability to win even when he's not at his best. He has now reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the 13th time in his career, and he will be the favorite to win the tournament when he faces Djokovic on Friday.
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