After Alexander Zverev reserved his maiden semifinal spot in a Grand Slam, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem battled for over four hours on the Rod Laver Arena for their semifinal berth at Australian Open 2020. The two-time major finalist Thiem defeated the 19-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, 7-6(3), 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(6) in the quarterfinals of the Aussie major. It was his first victory over Nadal at a Grand Slam tournament.

First set: Dominic Thiem saved a set point and seized the opening set 7-6(3)!

The two clay-court specialists Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem boarded to play their second meeting on a hardcourt. The defending finalist Rafa opened the match with a forehand winner and an ace. As Nadal held his serve at 1-0, Thiem made a love hold at 1-1. Both of them were displaying an angled style of play and were absolutely cautious with their service games.

With Thiem’s brutal groundstrokes peaking in the match, at 2-2 the Austrian sought a chance to break Rafa’s serve as the Spaniard fumbled a forehand. However, a 198 km/h first serve from Rafa’s weapon fended off Dominic’s opportunity. It was Rafa holding his serve at 3-2 and later Thiem served for a 3-3 scoreline.

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An error-strewn game from Thiem gave Nadal three break points at 4-3. With a lob kissing the baseline Rafael Nadal broke the fifth seed to love and led by 5-3.

In the next game, Nadal was serving for the opening set, but Thiem was not on the back foot. He saved the first set point with an exceptional drive volley. The Austrian kept fighting and converted the third break point with a forehand return winner for an immediate break back at 5-4.

Game on!

The men continued to play high-quality tennis and progressed for the tiebreak.

Tiebreak

Thiem made a sluggish start by dropping the first two points. However, he came back with some witty tennis and puzzled Nadal on Rod Laver Arena. The raw power from Dominic and errors from Rafa aided the Austrian to turn around the outcome of the set. With a ferocious forehand winner, Thiem held the first set 7-6(7-3).

ThiemiNator!

Second set: Rafael Nadal was given a time violation warning

World Number one Rafael Nadal was displaying a flawless play. The Spaniard wrapped up two consecutive love holds, but Thiem was playing patiently on his serves. At 2-2, Thiem was broken to love and Rafa led by 3-2. The consolidation of the service game was a mammoth task for Nadal and Thiem was came up with a flurry of powerful shots.

Amidst that, Nadal was given a time violation warning. The Spaniard walked to the chair umpire and told her, “you don’t like the good tennis. You don’t like the good tennis.” Post that, Nadal led by 4-2.

With Thiem holding at 4-3, the earlier time violation seemed to bother Nadal in his next service game. A fumbled forehand on the net gave Thiem three break points, Nadal saved one with an overhead smash but a double fault on the next one balanced the set at 4-4. Later, the Austrian made a quick hold at 5-4. Nadal was unhappy with his service game loss and argued with the chair umpire.

At 5-4, Thiem was just two points away from taking the set, but with Nadal firing a forehand winner and a second serve ace, the ATP warrior Rafa was not giving up.

Thiem’s phenomenal shot-making prevailed and he was blistering groundstrokes in that crucial game at 6-5, which consequently gave him a 30-0 lead and later a set point. However, the man on the mission Nadal saved the set point and forced another tiebreak in the quarterfinal.

Tiebreak

The Aussies in the house witnessed some magnificent tennis from the ATP warriors. With Rafa netting the ball Thiem led by 4-0 in the tiebreak. At that instant, Nadal was patiently returning the ball and waiting for Thiem to make errors and stabilized the tiebreak at 4-4.

With a wide forehand from Nadal, Thiem led by 5-4. Thiem’s cross-court forehand from the net left Rafa stranded on his side of the court. Later, Dominic coming up with a breath-taking inside out forehand, he pulled off the set 7-6(7-4).

Third set: Rafael Nadal fought back to win his first set in three hours!

The top-seed in Melbourne Rafael Nadal was in real jeopardy in the third set. Thiem’s level of play on the Australian hardcourt was extraordinary was maybe the match remarked the advent of a new Grand Slam performer in the men’s game.

The two professionals were playing a safe game of tennis in the third set and there was no room for errors in their service games. With Nadal opening the set he maintained his ferocious level of play and the lead in the third set. Also, Thiem’s defense made it taxing for Nadal to establish is dominance in the set.

Two unforced errors from Thiem at 5-4, gave Rafa a 30-0 lead. With a backhand on the net from Thiem’s racquet, Nadal received two set points. Later the Austrian placed a trembling backhand on the net, and that gave Rafa his first set victory 6-4 in three hours time.

The game is on!

Fourth set: Seesawing tiebreak

The Spaniard, Rafael Nadal boarded to make a comfortable hold for 1-0 lead, but he next game was bothersome for Thiem. The Austrian’s unforced errors prevailed, Rafa earned two break points. Thiem came up with a drop shot and an overhead smash to settle for a deuce, but another error gave rise to the third break point.

Nadal was opportunistic on break points throughout the match, but in the fourth set, that did not persist. The third break chance was saved with a forehand winner from Thiem. Later an ace gave him the advantage.

Nadal challenged the called as the chair umpire Aurelie Tourte announced, “advantage Thiem,” but Rafa’s call was overruled as she said, “Rafael it’s too late.”

With Thiem beautifully counterpunching Rafa’s groundstrokes, he held his serve at 1-1. The next game turned out to be shaky for Rafa. A wide forehand on the flanks gave Thiem a break point. The Austrian was just patiently playing Nadal’s groundstrokes, with another error on the forehand Thiem broke at 2-1 and later consolidated for 3-1.

Now it was just hold-forever for Dominic Thiem. The Austrian continued to play safe and gave no break chances to Rafael Nadal. While serving for the match at 5-4, Thiem’s double fault and unforced errors gave Rafa two break points, he saved one with an ace but a wide forehand settled the score at 5-5.

Thiem….

Thiem’s miss energized Nadal on the Rod Laver Arena and he not ready to pack his bags from Melbourne and continued to wrestle against the 26-year-old. At 6-5, a stroke from Thiem the net cord and gave him a 40-15 lead and with Nadal placing a wide lob, the duo played another tiebreak in the quarters.

Tiebreak

Nadal placed a wide forehand to gave Thiem a 1-0 lead, but the Austrian committed errors and Nadal led by 2-1. The tiebreak was seesawing before Thiem could lead by 4-2. With Thiem’s 5-2 lead he inched closer towards his victory. He received two match points at 6-4 but Rafa saved them with a courageous challenge on one of them.

With the net cord supporting Thiem throughout the match, Dominic gained a match point against at 7-6 and sealed his semifinal spot by taking the set 7-6(6).