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Nadal rallies to defeat Federer in Australian Open semis thriller
Reuters
MELBOURNE – Rafa Nadal came from behind to topple great rival Roger Federer 6-7 6-2 7-6 6-4 on Thursday in an enthralling match of the highest quality.
Like so many of their battles over the years, their 27th clash was a feast of shot-making, with exhilaration and suspense served up in equal measure under the lights of a heaving Rod Laver Arena.
Amid an atmosphere more akin to a football match, Nadal’s brute force triumphed over the Swiss’s artistry as he captured the decisive break at 4-4 in the fourth set and closed it out on the second match point when Federer blasted a forehand long.
Nadal, the 2009 champion, will bid for his second title at Melbourne Park against top seed Novak Djokovic or fourth seed Andy Murray, who meet in the second semi-final on Friday.
