Second seed Rafael Nadal eased past unseeded American Frances Tiafoe to reach the Australian Open semi-finals and continue his bid to win all four Grand Slams for a second time.
Rafael Nadal won all of his service games and ended 21-year-old American Frances Tiafoe’s best run at a major with a dominating 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
Nadal, 32, reached his 30th Grand Slam semifinal. He now faces another much younger opponent, 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eliminated two-time defending champion Roger Federer in the fourth round.
Against Tiafoe, who had never been past a major’s third round, Nadal won 20 of the first 23 points in his service games and erased the only two break point he faced, both early in the second set.
Nadal has won every set he’s played in the tournament so far, the first time he’s done that en route to the semifinals in Australia since 2009, the only time he won the title.
Rafa returns… to the #AusOpen semifinals.
The world No.2 def. Frances Tiafoe 6-3 6-4 6-2 to set up a blockbuster showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas. pic.twitter.com/7ZZfdOu90p
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019
No place on the court is safe.
Rafael Nadal unleashes a monster forehand for the @cpaaustralia Shot of the Day.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/XXb9TwHIFd
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019
