Rafa Nadal is back for at least awhile.
Grigor Dimitrov almost surprisingly gave Nadal all he could handle in the Australian Open semifinals. Dimitrov played well enough to have won this match, even if vintage Nadal did show up to save Rafa late in the fifth set.
Dimitrov may be the next Novak Djokovic. He has firepower coming from every direction to go along with his Novak-like movement. He may even be quicker and stronger than Novak.
DIMITROV DROVE NADAL OFF COURT WITH HIS POWER
Dimitrov practically drove Nadal off the court with his thundering forehands, backhands and serves, not to mention his athletic ability. At times, the Bulgarian seemed to almost bully Nadal around the court with his power and athletic ability.
Dimitrov always appeared to have a weapon in reserve, whether a powerful or a twisting serve that took Rafa off the court, or powerful forehands and backhands to all corners.
Nadal did what he does best. He never quit, even at times when his plight appeared to be almost hopeless. But that’s Rafa.
His forehand might not be as deadly or as accurate as it once was, but Nadal was able to come up with enough big points to earn his way into his 21 major final with his 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4 conquest of the 25-year-old Dimitrov.
The problem with the forehand might be solved if Nadal can defeat Federer. The forehand is there. It’s just a matter of confidence.
HELP MAY HAVE SAVED NADAL DOWN UNDER
Nadal probably is lucky that someone else took care of Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Djokovic, leaving only his old pal Roger Federer between him and a 15th Grand Slam title that would make Nadal the only double career Grand Slam holder in the open era of tennis.
I don’t know if Nadal could handle any of the younger trio of Murray, Djokovic and Wawrinka — at least, maybe not this early in his return from a wrist injury.
But Federer? If the past holds up, Nadal will be just fine physically and otherwise in Sunday night’s final, even after his five-hour struggle with Dimitrov.
FEDERER’S ONLY WINS OVER NADAL IN MAJOR FINALS CAME AT WIMBLEDON
Nadal has practically owned Federer from the very beginning and has defeated Federer in their last four meetings in Grand Slam finals. Federer’s only two victories over Nadal in their eight previous head-to-head major finals came on the grass of Wimbledon where Federer felt so at home.
Although Nadal is 30 years old now, he may still have a few Grand Slam titles left in him, that is, if he can get the kind of outside help he had Down Under the last two weeks. True, he’s not quite as quick and relentless as he was before a string of injuries limited his time on the tour, but Nadal may actually be serving better these days, at least, late in the fifth set and the entire first set as well as some other key moments.
And, of course, Rafa is still humble and a refreshing entity in a Grand Slam final.
James Beck is the long-time tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspaper. He can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com. See his Post and Courier columns at
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