MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal cruised into the semi-finals of the Australian Open yesterday with a clinical straight sets demolition of young American Frances Tiafoe.
The Spaniard broke Tiafoe in the 21-year-old’s opening service games in every set, wrapping up the 6-3 6-4 6-2 win in one hour, 47 minutes to set up a clash with Greek youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final.
“To be back to the semi-final without playing for a while means everything to me,” said Nadal, who retired from last year’s U.S. Open with tendonitis before cutting short his season to have ankle surgery.
Tsitsipas, who knocked out Swiss maestro Roger Federer in the fourth round, squeezed past Nadal’s compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 4-6 6-4 7-6(2) earlier on Tuesday to reach the first Grand Slam semi-final of his career.
The women’s draw served up heartbreak for the home fans, with Ashleigh Barty, the last Australian left standing in the singles, unceremoniously dumped out of the tournament by eighth seed Petra Kvitova.
The Czech, a twice Wimbledon champion, turned in a ruthless display to trounce Barty 6-1 6-4 in 68 minutes and reach her first Grand Slam semi-final in five years.
Kvitova will face unseeded American Danielle Collins, who battled hard to beat Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2-6 7-5 6-1 and reach her first semi-final at a major.
Danielle Collins dropped the opening set but rallied to beat Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2-6 7-5 6-1 and reach a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time in her career.
After surrendering the first set, Collins squandered a 5-2 lead in the next before levelling the contest, and the American switched gears in the decider to prevail in two hours and 16 minutes.
Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 4-6 6-4 7-6(2) to reach his maiden Grand Slam semi-final. The 20-year-old also became the youngest man to make the last four of a Slam since Novak Djokovic at the 2007 U.S. Open.
