Rafael Nadal sailed into the Australian Open semi-finals with a straight-set defeat of the big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in two hours and 44 minutes.
Rafa reached the last four in Melbourne for a 5th time with a 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 win.
2009 champ, seeded 9th as he seeks an 15th Grand Slam title, faces Grigor Dimitrov in the last four.
After the match, Rafa said:
I am not a very arrogant person so I always have doubts. It’s normal, even when I was winning a lot I had doubts so you can imagine when I wasn’t…
I had a great career, but a lot of tough moments. That makes me enjoy this even more.
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – 25/1/17 Spain’s Rafael Nadal places his water bottles during his Men’s singles quarter-final match against Canada’s Milos Raonic. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Canada’s Milos Raonic, right, and Spain’s Rafael Nadal change ends during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates a point win over Canada’s Milos Raonic during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – 25/1/17 Maria Francisca Perello, girlfriend of Spain’s Rafael Nadal, looks on ahead of his Men’s singles quarter-final match against Canada’s Milos Raonic. REUTERS/Issei Kato
A detail of the shows of Rafael Nadal of Spain as he serves in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – 25/1/17 Carlos Moya, coach of Spain’s Rafael Nadal, looks on during his Men’s singles quarter-final match against Canada’s Milos Raonic. REUTERS/Issei Kato
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – 25/1/17 Spain’s Rafael Nadal changes his shirt during his Men’s singles quarter-final match against Canada’s Milos Raonic. REUTERS/Issei Kato
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: The team of Rafael Nadal of Spain watch his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against Canada’s Milos Raonic during their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2017. / AFP / SAEED KHAN / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: AFP)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning match point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning match point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning match point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning match point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning match point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning match point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal (L) shakes hands with Canada’s Milos Raonic after winning their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2017. / AFP / GREG WOOD / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: AFP)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates beating Canada’s Milos Raonic in their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2017. / AFP / PETER PARKS / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: AFP)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against against Canada’s Milos Raonic during their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2017. / AFP / WILLIAM WEST / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: AFP)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal signs his autograph for fans after winning his men’s singles quarter-final match against Canada’s Milos Raonic on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2017. / AFP / PETER PARKS / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: AFP)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against against Canada’s Milos Raonic during their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2017. / AFP / WILLIAM WEST / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Jan. 24, 2017 – Source: AFP)
Sorry, I got more to say about this win, after analysing the match highlights too. The version of Rafa, who hits a good serve, followed by an inside out winner, that version has returned in the last 1.5 weeks. We have only seen a shade of that version in the last 3 years. Don’t give me fall 2015 or MC and RG 16 – no frigging way, that was Rafa at 75-80% with all the confidence issues still fully harming him.
The Nadal of today, is the best version of Nadal since the US Open 2013 (yes, I believe Rafa is playing better than at the Aussie Open 14 and RG 14 – the latter I believe is Rafa’s lucky slam cause Djoko was not fit and Rafa himself played at 85% of his best, remember, this was the horror year 2014). The Nadal of today is actually the Nadal we’d all hoped he would slowly devolve into, when aging in the years following the US Open 2013 (with a very slight decrease in power and speed), hell, did that process turn out differently and djeez, has our patience been tested. Arisen from the dust is a version of the legend that has aged, is a tod slower, but once again brings to the table all those elements that can crumble opponents like Raonic: a never give up mentality, make that guy win each point three times before he wins it, be a brick wall, stand on that baseline, have no mental weaknesses, no weak periods in a match. Remember Wimbledon 2008? Why did Rafa win that 5th set? Because he played each point from the start as if it was still the tie-breaker of set 4. Federer expected him to mentally break, and in turn broke himself once he realized it was not happening for him, Rafa never turned into Roddick, Hewitt or Nalbandian. The Weak Era was over!
And the same goes for the US Open 13 final. Why did Rafa win that match? I watched every second of it and Djoko had the upper hand, was the better player, until the last two games of set 3. There Rafa refused to surrender his serve, hit a handful of incredible winners, broke the Djoker mentally and subsequently took set 4 as if it was practice (Djoko checked out, faced something he could not imagine existed).
The Nadal of today seems capable of feats like the above. When did Rafa last refuse to surrender, and survive 6 set points, in a major? We have to go back a long time folks. None of the three other remaining players in the draw, is looking forward to play this version of Rafa. I can assure you that. One can only imagine what would have happened if “change” (a new coach) had come earlier (cause yes I consider these 3 lost years). But it is not too late. The goal: the second career grand slam, is clear. Without a shade of doubt, this Aussie Open would be Rafa’s most impressive trophy of all. Tennis and Rafa being all about mental strength, imagine where a win here could lead to furthermore. That is why Friday and Sunday are SUPER important. VAMOS!
Great analysis. It is fascinating to see the effect of Carlos Moya on Nadal’s game. Moya was a very SMART and talented player. They are all talented at this level *(Duh). But having the time off to integrate significant and intelligent adjustments off both sides of the ball has clearly paid huge dividends. Obviously Fed has done some important work on his time off too. Those two are some of the most mentally tough players in the history of the game. And neither of them has the pressure on them that they once may have had before they were clearly accomplished champions. But Rafa won the 5th set at Wimbledon because it was fucking dark and the average height of his ball being EIGHT feet above the net gave him a much higher margin for tennis by braille. They should have finished that match in the daylight. (I can’t wait for them to pave over the grass and put hard courts in at the All England Club).
Spot on, but I think that Nadal in AO 2014 would have the edge over Nadal AO 2017.
So so happy for Rafa. It was awesome to see him attack the Roanic serve standing close to the baseline and blocking the returns back. No more free aces for Roanic. Also Rafa’s body serves have been awesome at the AO. Now all 3 left have single handed backhands that Rafa has excelled against. Go get your 15th Rafa. Vamos!!
magnifique sensationnel quel gd champion notre rafa 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤
Finally, Rafa starts to return from the baseline – this changed the entire dynamic of Rafa’s game – it not only reduced the time that Raonic had to react to the return, it set up strong follow up shots by Rafa, he reached and blocked most serves, and most important, Rafa was not tired when he would begin serving. He did not need to run around as much as he has been doing when returning serves from far. Hopefully he keeps this up, and his service return will only get better, and Rafa will be back where all opponents would fear him!
Great, great win! Finally, for the first time in a long, long time, we don’t have to be in funeral mode cause once again some opponent that Rafa should own, beat him. The long requested change (albeit not as drastic as I’d wished) has led to returned confidence (the scared rabbit look – I did not see it this tournament and voila, who is winning big points now?), return of the fearhand and baseline play from the baseline instead of 5 meters behind it. I can only say: Vamos, Vamos, Vamos Rafa and win this tournament. It would make Rafa Nadal the absolute greatest of all times with a double career grand slam. Go for it, it is clear that he can do it!!!
Jason, Great comments! I too was heartened by the changes Rafa made. Maybe there are more to come! Wins build confidence!
Thank you va4favre, the next task ahead for Nadal is like summiting the Everest. The toughest part comes last. But he can do it. And I believe he will do it. And this comes from someone who has not believed in Rafa winning a major since Aussie Open 2014. Cause there were too many signs in those 3 full years, that it would not happen. And man, look up those vids, Rafa played so much worse, his level of today is uncomparable. Beating Raonic in 3, that guy is one tough nut to crack, madonn’!
It takes something for me to get optimistic about Nadal’s chances these days, but based on what he did so far, I really believe he can do it….and WILL do it!
I was so happy after Rafa’s win today. He played so well and there were some obvious adjustments that might have come from Moya. I do not know if Rafa can win the next two matches, but I am more positive about his future matches. I did not see signs of his dreaded nerves. We now just have to stay healthy. Vamos Rafa! You can do it!!!
So pumped. Great job. So close. Almost there. Congratulations
Congratulation Rafa what a great game, all the best for the next round.
Congrats Rafa on a great win. You were moving wonderfully and serving superbly. Thanks for a wonderful match. All the very best.
What a match. Rafa looked brilliant out there. Take rest and all the best for the semi-final. You can do it – Vamos Rafa <3 <3 <3
i was so relieved and happy to see Rafa win and especially in straight sets.
Milos is such a big server but Rafa coped with him very well.
I noticed that Rafa stood so much closer to the baseline in this match. Advice from Moya perhaps? In any case it assisted in Rafa looking, and being, more aggressive in my opinion.
I have my fingers crossed for a Fedal final But I am afraid to say any more in case i put a jinx on it.
Not a jinx…yours is good karma. Those who didn’t even consider Rafa as a contender were spreading bad karma. Many are hoping for a Fedal final.
RAFA ROCKS
Congrats Rafa, keep it up!!!
You were the favorite Rafa, and you came through with a beautiful straight-set win. Sooo very happy for you. Just wonderful to see you advancing so deep in this first Grand Slam of 2017.
RAFA ROCKS
Thrilled with Rafa so far. Such a joy to watch you even though u r not yet at your best. Hope u keep it up!!!! You played quite well most of all recovering after some blemishes and letting Rainic off.
Take care of yourself and all the very best for the next match.
VAMOS Rafa!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic win against a tough opponent-pure joy on Rafael’s face. 👊💪👏👍👑We see you and your love for the sport inspires us-play on♥️Stay healthy, stay
strong. Always respectful of his opponent-a privilege to watch!
Aww Rafa done did it! Granted Raonic was nursing some injury but either way Rafa was not to be denied today. Also, he seemed to have gotten a good read on the Raonic serve.
Next up, Dimitrov! Another tricky prospect. Good luck there Rafa, all the best!!!
Rafa is back. All the best for semis.Dimi is playing really well but ur getting better n better.
vamos
Rafa , you are so loveable and charming. Charisma oozes out of every pore . Can’t wait till your next match . Grigor has been playing great , but after today’s performance I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You are pure class and that will always win through.😀
YES! 🎾💪🏼 Congratulations on your amazing win dear Rafa 😃❤ All the best of luck at the semi-final 😘👍🏻
VAMOS CHAMP! 🌟😍🍀
Super Rafa :):) Go for GS 15