Rafael Nadal beats Milos Raonic and admits he doubted he would ever reach Australian Open semis again
Spaniard continues revival in Melbourne as he reaches last four of a major for first time since 2014 French Open
Rafa Nadal continued his brilliant revival at the Australian Open to topple Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 and reach his first grand slam semi-final in three years.
The ninth-seeded 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, the 30-year-old Nadal 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 of Bulgaria for a place in the final – with Federer taking on fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the other semi – after the Spaniard emphatically batted away doubts that his best days were long gone.
“I think I am not a very arrogant person so I always have doubts,” he said in a court-side interview, when asked if he thought he would ever reach the Australian Open semi-finals again.