MELBOURNE (Australia): Dominic Thiem ended Rafael Nadal’s bid for a record-equaling 20th Grand Slam title with a 7-6(3) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(6) victory in the Australian Open on Wednesday.
The win also saw the Austrian end his six years of Grand Slam frustration against Nadal and helped him book his maiden Australian Open semifinal.
The 26-year-old will face Alex Zverev for a place in the final, a match-up scarcely imaginable at the start of the tournament.
“All the match was on a very good level, I think we are both in great form,” said Thiem, only the second Austrian to make the Melbourne semis after Thomas Muster — the man he sacked this week as an advisor.
“Today I had the feeling I was lucky in the right situation … it is necessary because he is one of the greatest of all time. You need some luck to beat him.”
Fifth seed Thiem will head into Friday’s clash against the young German brimming with confidenc after packing off the Spaniard.
Turning the tables on the man who beat him in two French Open finals and three other Grand Slam duels.
Top seed Nadal had a 9-4 record over Thiem and had beaten him in all their five previous Slam meetings.
But the last time they played on hardcourts — at the 2018 US Open quarter-finals — it was a five-set marathon.
And the signs pointed that way again, with the opening set on serve to 2-2 before Thiem, gunning for a first Grand Slam title, worked a break point but couldn’t convert.
He now faces Zverev, who bounced back after being demolished in the first set by 2014 champion Wawrinka to take control and run out a comfortable winner.
