A round-up of Wednesday’s men’s and women’s singles action from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
MEN’S SINGLES
Nadal eases past Raonic
Rafael Nadal continued his brilliant revival at the Australian Open to topple Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 and reach his first grand slam semi-final in three years.
The Spaniard joined Roger Federer in the last four, keeping alive the prospect of a dream final between the two great rivals who have claimed 31 grand slam titles between them.
Having not reached a major semi-final since his 2014 French Open title, Nadal, 30, produced a match from his halcyon days to fell the third-seeded Canadian in two hours and 44 minutes at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena.
Nadal will play 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the final.
Dimitrov dismantles Goffin
Grigor Dimitrov dismantled 11th seed David Goffin 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in their Australian Open quarter-final to advance to his second grand slam semi-final.
The 25-year-old Bulgarian, whose previous grand slam semi-final was at Wimbledon in 2014, will meet either 2009 champion Rafael Nadal or third seed Milos Raonic for a place in the final.
The pair engaged in a cagey baseline battle, as Goffin struggled with his serve and made 46 unforced errors.
Goffin saved two match points trailing 5-3 in the third set but Dimitrov was able to serve out in the next game and clinched the win in two hours, 12 minutes when he blasted a backhand winner down the line.
WOMEN’S SINGLES
Serena powers into semi-finals
An irrepressible Serena Williams kept her record-breaking grand slam dream alive by beating Johanna Konta to make the Australian Open semi-final, where she will meet fellow veteran Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.
The American, 35, joined sister Venus in the last four after stepping up a level to oust Konta 6-2, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena and end the Briton’s nine-match winning streak.
Her battling victory keeps intact a potential all-Williams final, with Venus needing to get past fellow American Coco Vandeweghe in the other semi-final to set-up the showdown.
But first Serena must beat former teenage prodigy Lucic-Baroni, who upset fifth seed Karolina Pliskova to continue her heart-warming comeback after her career was derailed by personal issues.
“She played so well, she’s definitely a future champion here for sure,” Williams said of ninth-seeded Konta. “I’m really happy to get through that.
“I got a little frustrated, but I told myself, stop complaining. Don’t be ‘Baby-rena’. I admit I complain a lot. That’s my thing. I try to just have fun, and try to enjoy the moment out here.”
Lucic-Baroni extends fairytale
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni kept her fairytale Australian Open alive by stunning fifth seed Karolina Pliskova to make her first grand slam semi-final since Wimbledon in 1999.
The unseeded Croat, a former teenage prodigy whose career was derailed by personal trauma, used all her experience to upset the Czech 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a Rod Laver Arena epic, before collapsing on court in tears.
Her emotional win sets up a last-four clash with either six-time champion Serena Williams for a place in the final to write another chapter in her inspiring story of perseverance.
Venus Williams plays fellow American Coco Vandeweghe in the other semi-final.
“I can’t believe this. This is crazy. I can’t believe it. I feel a little bit in shock,” she said, sobbing uncontrollably.
“To me, this is overwhelming. I will never forget this day and the last couple of weeks. This has truly made my life, and everything bad that happened, (it) has made it OK.”
RESULTS
Men’s singles
Quarter-finals
• Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x15) bt David Goffin (BEL x11) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
• Rafael Nadal (ESP x9) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x3) 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4
Women’s singles
Quarter-finals
• Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x5) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
• Serena Williams (USA x2) bt Johanna Konta (GBR x9) 6-2, 6-3
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