Injured Nadal retires on day of Aussie Open upsets
Rafael Nadal’s drive towards a second Australian Open title came to a shuddering injuryinduced halt on Tuesday on a day of upsets that saw unseeded Kyle Edmund and Elise Mertens make the semifinals.
The men’s world No 1 retired against Marin Cilic after an upper right leg problem began troubling him during the fourth set on Rod Laver Arena, with the Spaniard wincing in pain as he struggled to continue.
His 3-6 6-3 6-7 (5/7) 6-2 2-0 exit set up a last-four clash for the former US Open champion against Britain’s Edmund, who stunned third seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4.
The South African-born Edmund, playing in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, showed no nerves as he blazed away with his fearsome forehand to subdue a jaded-looking Dimitrov. Edmund crunched 46 winners to Dimitrov’s 32 at a packed Rod Laver Arena.
Mertens, who is yet to drop a set, was equally convincing in blasting past world No4 Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-0 to become the first Belgian to make the semis since Kim Clijsters in 2012.
FEROCIOUS BATTLE
She will play second-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who withstood a fightback from Spain’s unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro to stutter into the semifinals 6-0 6-7 (3/7) 6-2 early on Wednesday morning.
Little separated Nadal and Cilic until the injury struck, as they traded ferocious groundstrokes in an intense battle.
But the Spaniard, who was beaten in the 2017 final by Roger Federer, called the physio at 1-4 in the fourth set and again at the changeover when two sets apiece and the writing was on the wall.
“It was an unbelievable performance from both of us,” said Croat Cilic. “It is really unfortunate for Rafa to finish this way.”
There were no such troubles for Edmund against Dimitrov, as he became only the fourth British man to reach the Australian Open semifinals in the post-1968 open era.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I’m very happy,” said the 23-yearold, ranked 49.
“It was a hard match and I’m really trying to enjoy the moment. It was my first match on Rod Laver Arena and it’s very special,” he said.
Edmund is the only British man in the draw after Andy Murray’s injury withdrawal before the tournament, raising the prospect that it will be him, rather than the Scot, who breaks through to win in Australia.
Murray has been a five-time finalist, but lost them all.
World No 37 Mertens is on a hot streak of form, unbeaten in 10 matches after winning in Hobart in January.
She was too physical for Svitolina as she stormed into the semis, incredibly on her Australian Open debut.
“It’s amazing. I mean, it was not expected, especially today. [It was a] really tough match,” said the Belgian.
“But I was in the zone today. If you believe in yourself, then anything can happen.”
Svitolina blamed a continuing hip injury for her shock ousting as she again failed to get to the last four of a Grand Slam on her 22nd attempt.
“It was my hip. I started to feel it actually after the final in Brisbane,” she said, referring to the warm-up tournament she won. “It’s been there all the time. I had pain all the time. But with painkillers, it was fine.”
She needed a run to the final to have a chance of displacing Simona Halep at the top of the world rankings.
Romania’s Halep plays her quarterfinal against sixth seed Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.