Aus Open Results: Rafael Nadal ‘TOO GOOD’ for Berrettini- Rafael Nadal has defeated Matteo Berrettini in the semifinals of the Australian Open. He won the first two sets in a brilliant fashion before the Italian fought back in the third set. This was the first time that Berrettini managed to win a set against Nadal. The latter took the evenly poised 4th set to his advantage by once more hurting the Wimbledon Finalist by pushing his weak zone, i.e., backhand. Nadal brought out his vintage forehand play and he was just one set away from marching onto the finals. Follow Australian Open LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN
500th win on hard court.
6th #AusOpen Final.
29th Grand Slam Final.@RafaelNadal still got it 💪🇪🇸🎥: @AustralianOpen | #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/KbWGzq2XeH
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 28, 2022
Aus Open Results: Rafael Nadal ‘TOO GOOD’ for Berrettini, enters Finals and a win away from becoming ‘KING OF GRAND SLAMS’
He won the match 6-3, 6-2, 3-6 and 6-3 in 2 hours and 55 minutes at Rod Laver Arena. The win sets him up for the Australian Open Final with 21st Grand Slam to play for in the final game. He is currently level with Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard will next face the winner of Daniil Medvedev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Match Report: Nadal beat Berrettini
With rain bucketing down outside, the 35-year-old Nadal made a fast start under the closed roof of the Rod Laver Arena and took control by breaking Wimbledon finalist Berrettini’s serve early in each of the first two sets.
Berrettini finally came alive in the third and started forcing Nadal back with his forehands, a break of serve forcing a fourth set.
The Spaniard got the crucial break in the eighth game as the Italian’s unforced errors increased and another mistake allowed Nadal to convert his first match point after a battle that lasted two hours and 55 minutes.
Aus Open Results: Rafael Nadal ‘TOO GOOD’ for Berrettini, enters Finals and a win away from becoming ‘KING OF GRAND SLAMS’
It’s a sixth #AusOpen final for @RafaelNadal 🙌
He outlasts Matteo Berrettini in a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 thriller 👏 #AusOpen · #AO2022
🎥: @wwos · @espn · @eurosport · @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/UIbtfGbKvq— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2022
Nadal vs Berrettini – 4th SET
Rafa Nadal beat Berrettini 6-3 to win the fourth set and enter the final of the Australian Open. He can double Grand Slam titles by defeating the winner of Medvedev vs Tsitsipas in the finals on Sunday.
Nadal vs Berrettini – 3rd SET
Matteo Berrettini finally found his rhythm after losing the first couple of sets. He fought back 6-3 to stay alive in the contest. He pushed the 20-time Grand Slam champion to backfoot after a stunning forehand display. He is pumped up for the fourth set with Rafa Nadal looking slightly tired.
We’ve got a match on our hands 🙌
🇮🇹 @mattberrettini takes a set off Nadal for the very first time by taking the third set 6-3.#AusOpen · #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/SbGAj7i22O
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2022
Nadal vs Berrettini LIVE – 2nd SET
Nadal wins the second set 6-2 against Berrettini. The Spaniard is on top of his game against Wimbledon finalist. He is looking in great shape with the Australian Open final on his sight. The 35-year-old is just a set away from storming into the FINALS. Brilliant serving from Rafa Nadal as Berrettini exposed for backhand weakness with five times more unforced errors against the Spanish giant.
All aboard the Rafa Express 🚊 @RafaelNadal sprints to a 6-3 6-2 lead over Berrettini.#AusOpen · #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/9PdHF1YggZ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2022
Nadal vs Berrettini LIVE – FIRST SET
Rafael Nadal has defeated Matteo Berrettini in 1st set to take an early lead in the semifinals contest. He won Game 1 6-3 in a gripping contest at Rod Laver Arena.
He’s on fire!🔥@RafaelNadal takes the first set 6-3 against Berrettini.#AusOpen | #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/pyBAmwWpUO
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 28, 2022
- 6-3 Nadal takes the first set against Italian Berrettini, two sets away from entering the finals.
- 5-2 Nadal leads / It looks like – difficult for Berrettini to make a comeback in 1st set
- 2-4 Again good hold by Berrettini. Getting Good 1st serve, followed by FORHAND with FIZZ
- 4-1: Nadal SUPER-TOUGH on his SERVE. He definately has come with a plan & executing it to perfection.
- 1-3: Berrettini finally on board. Few big serves did the job for him.
- 3-0: Absolute brilliant ploy by Nadal – Heavy top spin on the backhand side of Berrettini. Its working for Nadal, Italian has to counter this
- 2-0: Nadal breaks Berrettini early. Simple Formula – Keep balls as much as possible on backhand side of Berrettini.
- 1-0 Difficult hold to start for Nadal
- Berrettini Backhand is what Nadal would be targetting this match
- THE BATTLE ROYALE STARTS – NADAL to SERVE
- Berrettini is the 1st man from Italy to make it to the Semifinals of Aus Open
- Nadal leads HEAD to HEAD 1-0. Nadal beat the Italian in the semifinals of the 2019 US Open in straight sets. Berrettini has matured since, having lost the Wimbledon final last year to Djokovic in four sets. Nadal gives a decade in age to Berrettini — 35 to 25.
- Nadal vs Berrettini will be played at 9AM IST
- The Semifinal match will be LIVE Streamed on SonyLIV
Aus Open Results: Rafael Nadal ‘TOO GOOD’ for Berrettini, enters Finals and a win away from becoming ‘KING OF GRAND SLAMS’
Australian Open LIVE Results: World No.1 Ash Barty enters FINAL, thrashes Madison keys in straight…
Nadal, seeded sixth and the 2009 winner, had modest expectations resuming after a three-and-a-half-month lay-off with a chronic foot injury at the end of last season.
But a combination of nine-time winner Djokovic’s dramatic deportation on the eve of the tournament over vaccination issues and world number three Alexander Zverev’s shock fourth round exit has cleared Nadal’s path to the top-half semi-final.
Nadal has been modifying his game to compensate for a degenerative bone disease in his left foot that threatens to end his remarkable career and faces another physical test against last year’s Wimbledon finalist Berrettini.
Australian Open Live: Two steps away from record 21 Grand Slams, Rafael Nadal takes on Matteo Berrettini in semis – Follow Live Updates
Fast facts
Rafael Nadal
Age: 35
World ranking: 5
Prize money: $125,050,235
Career titles: 89
Grand Slam titles: 20 (French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020); Wimbledon (2008, 2010); US Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) Australian Open (2009)
Coaches: Carlos Moya, Francisco Roig, Marc Lopez
Tied with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer for most Grand Slam titles (20). Ranked in top 10 for record 849 consecutiveweeks (2005-21), including 209 total weeks as number one following 160 straight weeks as number two.
Grand Slam match win-loss record stands at 296-41 heading into the 2022 semi-final and Australian Open record is 74-15 sothe semi-final will be his 90th match in Melbourne.
Unbeaten so far this season at 8-0 and playing in his seventh Australian Open semi-final and 36th in Grand Slams.
Nadal is coming off a curtailed 2021 season caused by a chronic foot injury followed by a bout of Covid-19 in December.
Path to the semi-final:
1st rd: bt Marcos Giron (USA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
3rd rd: bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x28) 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
4th rd: bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 7-6 (16/14) 6-2, 6-2
Quarter-final: bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN x14) 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3
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Editors pick
