Tennis – Australian Open – Quarter Final – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 29, 2020. Spain’s Rafael Nadal during his quarter final match against Austria’s Dominic Thiem. REUTERS/Edgar Su
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Dominic Thiem ended six years of Grand Slam frustration against Rafa Nadal on Wednesday with a seismic 7-6(3) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(6) upset that booked his maiden Australian Open semi-final and rocked the old guard of men’s tennis.
After a win that quashed doubts about the Austrian’s prowess on hardcourts, the 26-year-old will face Alex Zverev for a place in the final, a match-up scarcely imaginable at the start of the tournament.
Fifth seed Thiem will head into Friday’s clash against the young German brimming with confidence, having ended Nadal’s bid for a record-equaling 20th Grand Slam title.
Turning the tables on the man who beat him in two French Open finals and three other Grand Slam duels, Thiem became only the second Austrian to reach the last four at Melbourne Park, following Thomas Muster’s runs in 1989 and 1997.
Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Ken Ferris