Australian Open 2014: Courage takes Nadal to the Semifinals

To reach the Quarterfinals, Nadal had to sweat to defeat Kei Nishikori. And this time, the challenge for him is much more difficult...

It is known that Grigor Dimitrov is not a worthy opponent of Rafael Nadal, both in terms of form and reputation. However, it is surprising that the Bulgarian tennis player competed fairly, even at times better than Nadal in today's competition.

Nadal shows he deserves to be the world's number 1 tennis player

Especially in the first set, when Nadal's physical advantage and tenacity had no place to be used. Grigor Dimitrov gave the audience great shots: converging all the elements of Strength, precision and extreme beauty. Shots like bullets fired to the two corners of the court were continuously launched by both players, making the audience feel extremely satisfied. With stability in each shot, Grigor Dimitrov won the first set with a completely deserved score of 6-3.

However, the more Nadal played, the more he showed the qualities of a top player. Although Dimitrov did not give him a moment to rest, his endless energy and inherent determination discouraged his opponent. Sets 2 and 3 followed the same scenario: very attractive and dramatic. Both took turns winning break-points and brought each other to a series of thrilling tie-breaks.

And when a player is more experienced and has more courage, they always love this nerve-wracking series. Dimitrov showed his inferiority compared to Nadal. He continuously missed decisive shots and gave 2 tie-break series to his opponent.

In the decisive fourth set, although Nadal's palm was bleeding, his courage and determination did not allow him to stop. That was also the time when Dimitrov's spirit and physical strength clearly decreased. The fourth set ended quickly and the final score was: 3-6; 7-6 (7-3); 7-6 (9-7); 6-2 in favor of Rafael Nadal.

Nadal's opponent in the Semi-finals will be the winner of the upcoming match: Andy Murray (Great Britain) [4] - Roger Federer (Switzerland) [6].

According to Bongdaplus