Dominic Thiem wrestles last year’s finalist Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open with 7: 6 (7: 3), 7: 6 (7: 4), 4: 6, 7: 6 (8: 6).
For Thiem, number 5 in the world, it is the first victory against the Spaniard in a Grand Slam tournament and the first semi-final entry in Melbourne. There he meets the German Alexander Zverev, the vanquisher of Stan Wawrinka, on Friday.
With the retirement Nadal remains with 19 Grand Slam titles. In the event of a tournament win, his second in Melbourne after 2009, the 33-year-old from Mallorca would have caught up with Roger Federer.
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