Second seed Daniil Medvedev and Greek number four Stefanos Tsitsipas will renew their rivalry in a repeat of last year’s Melbourne Park last-four encounter, which was won by the Russian, in a night blockbuster at Melbourne Park.
The 35-year-old Spanish gladiator is two wins away from getting the jump on fellow 20-time Grand Slam champions and “big three” rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the race to become greatest male player in tennis history.
Nadal, seeded sixth and with just one Australian Open crown among his 20 majors, back in 2009, 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 cleared Nadal’s path.
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.
“Today there are still doubts because the foot, it is an injury we cannot fix... so we need to find a way that the pain is under control to keep playing,” Nadal said.
Seventh seed Berrettini, 25, is the first Italian man to play in the Australian Open semi-finals.
“Playing with him on Rod Laver Arena in the semi-finals is something that I dreamed about when I was a kid,” he said of facing Nadal.
“Now I really want to win this match. I know I can do it.”
The two-metre tall Berrettini, who possesses a top-spin forehand nearly as heavy as Nadal’s, lost their only meeting in a semi-final at the 2019 US Open in straight sets.
Medvedev, the tournament favourite, needs to find his reserves of energy after two long, torrid examinations just to get to the semi-final.
Having already spoiled Djokovic’s quest for a 21st Slam in last year’s US Open final, the world number two Medvedev could this time stand in Nadal’s way - if he can again get past Tsitsipas.
Medvedev was kept on court for more than eight gruelling hours in beating American serve-volleyer Maxime Cressy then Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime just to reach the semi-finals.
“I never had this experience. I’m going to try to recover as well as possible, to be ready to play against Stefanos, because he’s a great player. I need to be at my best to beat him,” said Medvedev.
Medvedev leads Tsitsipas 6-2 in their eight meetings, with a 2-1 edge in Slams, but will have to contend with a Greek world number four “in the zone” after demolishing Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner in straight sets.
“It was the most consistent and the best match I’ve had in the tournament,” Tsitsipas said.
“I feel like I’m in the zone. I have no plans of getting out of it. It’s part of my game.”
Rampant Barty to meet powerhouse Collins
Meanwhile, a ruthless Ashleigh Barty swept into her first Australian Open final yesterday with a clinical, straight-sets demolition of Madison Keys to set-up a title match with the hard-hitting Danielle Collins.
The world number one overwhelmed 51st ranked Keys 6-1, 6-3 in just 62 minutes with another American awaiting after the all-business Collins crushed Polish seventh seed Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-1.
Barty is the first Australian woman into the decider of her home Grand Slam since Wendy Turnbull in 1980 and is aiming to become the first winner since Chris O’Neil two years earlier.
But the tenacious Collins stands in her way on Saturday with the 28-year-old enjoying a second coming after surgery last year for endometriosis left her pain free.
Nine months on and she has 32-7 win-loss record, capturing her maiden WTA singles titles last year in Palermo then San Jose.
After making the semi-finals at Melbourne in 2019, she is now in a first Slam final and will break into the top 10 for the first time to cap a remarkable comeback.
“To play against the number one player in the world in her home country, it’s going to be spectacular,” said Collins of the final.
“I couldn’t be happier. It’s been such a journey, so many years of hard work.”
Barty, though, has been rampant so far, dropping serve just once through six matches and is yet to drop a set as she powered through the top half of the women’s draw.
‘Going to be incredible’
She is also looking to add to her 2019 French Open and 2021 Wimbledon titles and is on a 10-match win streak to start the year.
“To be in the finals weekend of your home Grand Slam is what a lot of Aussie players dream of. Yeah, it’s going to be an incredible experience come Saturday,” said Barty.
“Obviously I was able to make Maddie uncomfortable and make her press, and that was kind of part of the plan, as well. I felt like we did a really good job all in all of playing the match in kind of our terms.”
Barty paid tribute to Keys, a former top-10 player who is on the rise again after some difficult years.
“It’s just so nice to see her back where she belongs,” said Barty. “She’s an amazing human being.”
The top seed, who played cricket with her team on Wednesday to relax, was once more in full command of her game with an attacking forehand and lethal backhand slice.
The Australian immediately pressured Keys’ serve to create a break point that she converted with a cross-court winner to assert early control.
She consolidated as Keys struggled to get her racquet on the ball and the American was broken again in the fifth game.
Keys finally won her first points on the Barty serve in the next game, but it was a blip as the Australian stormed 5-1 in front before a double fault handed her two set points and she slammed a forehand return to convert.
It went with serve to 2-2 in set two before Barty stepped up a gear, with a passing shot earning another break to 4-2 clear and there was no way back for the American.
Collins also flew out of the blocks against former French Open champion Swiatek, racing to a 4-0 first set lead.
A nervous Swiatek double faulted in the opening game to gift Collins an early break and the unrelenting American’s fierce groundstrokes earned her another.
But the gutsy Pole fought back as Collins double faulted to give a break-point opportunity.
But the all-action American, who opted not to sit down and rest at each change of ends, recomposed herself to serve out the set.
Collins was now on a mission and quickly broke to take charge of the second set as she jumped on Swiatek’s second serve, breaking again to race 3-0 clear and it was all over for the 20-year-old.