Rafael Nadal continues to grow in confidence. The ninth seed and 2009 champion reached his fifth Australian Open semi-final – and his first Grand Slam semi-final since 2014 Roland Garros – in stunning fashion on Wednesday night. Nadal avenged his recent loss to Milos Raonic, the third seed, at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, with a 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 victory at Melbourne Park over the Canadian in two hours and 44 minutes. His 50th match win at the Grand Slam championship also helped him into the 24th major semi-final of his career. “It is good news - especially beating difficult players: [Gael] Monfils, [Alexander] Zverev and now Raonic," said Nadal. "I think all of them are top players. So...
Grigor Dimitrov extended his perfect record in 2017, proving that hard graft during the off-season pays off after reaching his first Grand Slam championship semi-final in three years. The Bulgarian No. 15 seed dominated No. 11 seed David Goffin of Belgium 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 over two hours and 12 minutes at the Australian Open on Wednesday, sealing his 10th win of the year with a backhand winner down the line. Dimitrov, who picked up his fifth ATP World Tour title at the recent Brisbane International presented by Suncorp (d. Nishikori) – his first for more than two-and-a-half years, later watched on television as Spanish ninth seed and 2009 titlist Rafael Nadal beat third-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic. [ALSO LIKE] “After the...
Wednesday's Australian Open quarter-final winners will receive the same prize – a semi-final berth – but just how special that last-four appearance will feel should vary for all four players taking the court on Day 10 Down Under. No. 11 David Goffin (BEL) v. No. 15 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) FedEx ATP Head2Head: Dimitrov leads 1-0 For Goffin and Dimitrov, the next round is almost brand-new territory. Bulgaria's Dimitrov has reached the semi-finals at a Grand Slam only one prior time – 2014 Wimbledon. Goffin will be going for his first semi-final showing. The Belgian fell during his only other Grand Slam quarter-final appearance, 2016 Roland Garros. Dimitrov won their only prior FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, a four-set win that also...
“I beat him the last time. He's lucky I retired,” Andy Roddick joked in Melbourne on Monday during a press conference to promote his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The former World No. 1 was referring to Roger Federer, whom he defeated in three sets at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 in Miami in 2012, their last tour-level meeting. When told in press what Roddick said, the Swiss replied: “We joke a lot, the two of us… If I'm not wrong, he won the last match we played against each other and I won the first, so everything in between is a blur.” [ALSO LIKE] That blur included some very memorable clashes. Federer maintains a winning...
ATP World Tour Uncovered presented by Peugeot takes you behind the scenes at the Australian Open, including an interview with Denis Istomin, who beat Novak Djokovic.
