Williams sisters on verge of joint final
The Williams sisters can write another chapter in their family history as they try to set up their ninth Grand Slam final, eight years after the last, at the Australian Open on Thursday. In a plot straight from the 2000s, both sisters have raced into the Melbourne semifinals without dropping a set.
Rafael Nadal edged closer to a much-anticipated Australian Open final with Roger Federer after marching into the semifinals on Wednesday.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion was too powerful for injury-hit world No 3 Milos Raonic, winning 6-4 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 in two hours 44 minutes.
The Spanish superstar will play Bulgaria’s 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov in Friday’s semifinal. He leads Dimitrov 7-1.
Nadal preferred to focus on his match with Dimitrov rather than contemplating a ninth Grand Slam final showdown with Federer, but he paid tribute to the Swiss legend for his amazing run at this year’s Australian Open.
“Let me enjoy today, the victory, being in the semifinal. For me it is great news again. It’s a good start of the season,” he told reporters. “Now I have a very tough match against Dimitrov.
“Whatever happens on the other side of the draw, I think it is great for tennis that Roger is there again after an injury after a lot of people talked that probably he would never be back.
“The real thing is that he’s back and he’s probably ready to win again, fighting again to win a Major.
“That’s good for the fans because Roger is a legend of our sport. I’m happy to be there, too. I am focused on my semifinal.”
It was another accomplished performance from the 30-yearold Spaniard who reached his first Grand Slam semifinal since he won the 2014 French Open and struggled with injury in 2016.
“Great. It’s good news. Especially winning against difficult players: [Gael] Monfils in quarterfinals, [Alexander] Zverev round of 16 and now Raonic,” Nadal said.
“All of them are top players. So that’s very important for me because that means that I am competitive and playing well.”
It is Nadal’s fifth Australian Open semifinal and his 24th in Grand Slams.
Nadal is bidding to win his second Australian Open title and become the first man in the Open era — and only the third man in history — to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice.
With his victory Nadal is projected to rise to six in next week’s ATP rankings unless Dimitrov goes on to win the Australian title, in which case he would be No 7.
Winning the title in Melbourne would lift Nadal to fourth on the world rankings.
Nadal began the night quarterfinal better and earned a break point in the fifth game before breaking when the Canadian overhit a smash at double break point in his next service game. He safely negotiated the rest of his service games and took the opening set with an overhead smash.
Nadal fought off a break point in a five-deuce service game early in the second set as Raonic began to serve better.
The Canadian left the court at 3-2 for treatment to an adductor muscle injury. Upon his return, games went with serve until Nadal came under attack in the 10th game, saving three set points with pressure serving.
Raonic had three more set points in the tiebreaker and blew them all before Nadal took a two sets lead on his first set point as the match swung decisively the Spaniard’s way.
Raonic was wayward with his volleying and made errors on crucial points to take the heat off Nadal. He looked physically in trouble and was wincing between points.
The end came quickly when Raonic fell three matchpoints down in the 10th game and Nadal won the rally to secure the win.
NADAL IS BIDDING TO BECOME THE FIRST MAN IN THE OPEN ERA — AND THE THIRD MAN IN HISTORY — TO WIN EACH OF THE FOUR GRAND SLAM TITLES TWICE