Rafael Nadal will renew his rivalry with Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open on Sunday after outlasting Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4, in a 296-minuite classic at Melbourne Park.
Embarking upon the Rod Laver Arena was two players with two very different resumes. Friday’s clash saw Nadal play in his 24th major semifinal compared to Dimitrov’s second. The disparity in experience between them both was significant, but Dimitrov was on a 10-match winning streak following his triumph at the Brisbane International at the start of the month. The setup was one which intrigued many as the semifinal excelled its potential.
Weary of the threat he faced, Nadal avoided a scare in his first service game by saving two break points against his excited and nervous opponent. The early scare drove a focused Nadal to work harder. Capitalising on a tentative approach to the net by Dimitrov, the ninth seed slammed an unreturned forehand down the line to draw the first blood of the match and break for 3-1. Admirably the Bulgarian kept fighting, displaying backhand winners that many would envy, but it wasn’t enough to tame Nadal as he clinched the first set with a delicate forehand volley at the net.
Against a player who has defeated three top 10 players already this season, it was inevitable that Nadal would be tested. A tentative service from from the Spaniard, in which he received a time violation, enabled Dimitrov to break on route to a 4-1 lead in the second set. At one point, Nadal averaged 27 seconds between points, exceeding the 25-second rule. Despite the blip, his greater experience once again proved pivotal. A lacklustre Dimitrov service game concluded with a double fault, allowing Nadal to level 4-4.
As nerves affected the play of the match, both began to falter. Dimitrov had a quartet of set points for a 6-4 lead, but was unable to close it out. The breakthrough occurred as Nadal served down 5-6. Finally, all the efforts invested into the match by Dimitrov paid off as he level the proceedings at a set apiece with a volley at the net.
Dimitrov’s surge was one that inspired many, but Nadal responded with an elevation in the intensity of his game. Little separated the two men on the court with each player getting as good as they can get. Dimitrov’s Federer-like style of play moved him to a set and a break lead before Nadal broke immediately with the help of his sublime defensive play.
The match was for anybody to take as a crucial third set tiebreak loomed. Once again a series of breaks of services failed to enable any momentum gathering. The first ten points of the tiebreaker featured six breaks of service (three each). Ultimately, it was Nadal, who prevailed as he wore his opponent down during some tiresome rallies. The speed of Nadal’s shots proved to much as a double handed backhand prompted a Dimitrov error, elevating the Spaniard towards the final.
Así cerró #Nadal el tie-break de la tercera manga ante Dimitrov [vía @Eurosport_ES] pic.twitter.com/u2hiPyegF0
— David Sánchez (@DASanchez__) 27 January 2017
Disappointed by being edged out of the third set, Dimitrov responded like a true warrior. Whatever Nadal threw at him, the Bulgarian found a way to bite back. Twice Nadal moved to a game away from victory and twice he was denied with the help of Dimitrov’s 19 winners during the fourth set. The aggressive play soon raked in the benefits after a backhand volley handed him three chances to level the match. Dimitrov prevailed on his second with the help of a 195 km/h serve down the centre of the court.
Engaged in the survival of the fittest, the first two games of the decider lasted 21 minutes with both men successfully fending off break points.
Simplemente Grigor Dimitrov 👏 pic.twitter.com/qvNbqigxdU
— Tenis Zone (@TenisZoneTW) 27 January 2017
Nadal’s hopes of reaching the final was up in the air as he saved a duo of break points to level the deciding set 4-4. Tension, fatigue and excitement gripped the Melbourne crowd as they anticipated who would finally get the critical breakthrough. That break occurred in Nadal’s favour as he hit a winning backhand down the line, devastating Dimitrov and his camp. There was no looking back for the former world No.1. Missing out on his first two match points due to some sublime play from Dimitrov, the five-hour battle was finally ended with a backhand error from the world No.15.
“Grigor was playing unbelievable, it was a great match.” Said Nadal.
“I feel very happy to be part of it (the match), I enjoyed it a lot. The crowd was amazing.
“Both weeks have been unforgettable weeks for me and to qualify for the final after a match like this means a lot to me.” He added.
“It’s difficult to describe my emotions.” – @RafaelNadal is back into the final of a Grand Slam! 😍 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/U6sy3CAoC4
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 27 January 2017
The mammoth victory has booked Nadal his 35th meeting with Federer on the tour and their first in a grand slam final since the 2011 French Open. He currently leads the head-to-head 24-11.
