TENNIS Live

Australian Open - Semi-finals - Men

Nationality Player Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5
SpainR Nadal66766
SpainF Verdasco74674

Fernando Verdasco

Nationality ESP
Date of Birth 15/11/1983
Height 1.87 m
Weight 81 kg

Rafael Nadal

Nationality ESP
Date of Birth 03/06/1986
Height 1.85 m
Weight 85 kg
 

Live Comments

  1. 14:08 - Nadal will play Roger Federer in Sunday's final and climbs over the net to go and give his compatriot a hug. That match lasted and incredibly five hours and 14 minutes. An epic!

  2. 4-6 - NADAL IS THROUGH TO THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL AS VERDASCO AGAIN SLAPS DOWN A DOUBLE FAULT!

  3. 30-40 - Verdasco saves the first working his way into the net before putting away a forehand volley and the second in much the same way, after a very brave forehand drive volley

  4. 0-40 - Verdasco finds himself in a spot of bother as he drops the first two points on serve before slapping down just his third double of the match to leave Nadal with THREE MATCH POINTS ...

  5. 4-5 - Verdasco makes a great start against the Nadal serve to go 0-30 up but Nadal quickly recovers and holds with a forehand volley winner that leaves Verdasco serving to stay in the match

  6. 4-4 - Nadal earns himself a third break point in this set when Verdasco's forehand lands in the net ... but a stunning inside out cross court forehand winner saves it. The 25-year-old forces a backhand down the line long for Nadal's second break point of the game .... but Nadal also slaps long to waste the chance and Verdasco goes on to hold with ace number 20, straight down the T once more. Verdasco is skipping around the baseline. Yes, skipping. Deep in the fifth set.

  7. 3-4 - This match is still being played at a terrific standard, albeit at an understandably slower pace and Nadal hold again!

  8. 3-3 - Nadal sees his first chance of the final set as Verdasco hits just his second double fault of the game ... but again he quickly slams the door shut by producing a service winner before holding once again with another couple of great serves. Nadal is beginning to look a little worried now!

  9. 2-3 - Verdasco's attempted forehand down the line drifts long as Nadal holds for a third game. It's a quieter start to this fifth set but the Rod Laver Arena is still absolutely packed as you would expect on a Friday night with a match of this quality going on. It well after midnight in Melbourne though

  10. 2-2 - A 19th ace from Verdasco helps him hold to stick with Nadal once again

  11. 1-2 - Still with serve in this fifth set as Nadal holds to stay marginally in front

  12. 1-1 - Nadal earns himself an early break point as Verdasco fails to put his lob up high enough and leaves space for the world number one to slam the ball down into the court ... but the chance goes begging when Nadal hits his forehand passing shot just wide. Nadal gets a second chance with a backhand winner ... and this time Verdasco saves it with an ace before going on to hold with another couple of solid service winners

  13. 0-1 - Nadal opens up with a comparatively simple service hold

  14. 7-6 - Nadal saves the first when Verdasco can only hit a forehand return out wide from a huge Nadal serve ... but VERDASCO GRABS THE FOURTH SET at his second attempt when Nadal hits his return of serve into the net!

  15. TB6-0 - Verdasco is absolutely on fire in this breaker as he races out to a 6-0 lead with some blistering ground-strokes and delicate work at the net ... and he has SIX SET POINTS at the change of ends ...

  16. 6-6 - It is tie-break time again, folks, as Nadal holds to love when Verdasco pulls a cross court forehand return of serve wide

  17. 6-5 - The serve out wide really has worked well for Verdasco today as he produces another winner out to the backhand flank of Nadal to hold. This set looks like it could well be decided on another breaker!

  18. 5-5 - Nadal really does not want this match to go to a fifth set and he holds once again to level up at 5-5

  19. 5-4 - The skill level in this match is just getting more and more ridiculous by the second as Verdasco now has the crowd in raptures as he slices a backhand drop shot unbelievably low over the net to land it right on the sideline!

  20. 4-4 - Twelve aces now for Nadal as he holds with a cross court forehand passing shot that has everyone in the Rod Laver Arena up on their feet in sheer amazement! Nadal slipped early in the rally but somehow managed to recover and read the Verdasco play, Verdasco ended up practically on his knees to get down to a forehand that bounced lower than he thought it was going to and both men ended up grinning at each other across the net at the end of the point! The entertainment of this match has definately not dimmed at all despite it's four hours!

  21. 4-3 - Despite his obvious physical limitations and pain right now Verdasco is battling on and produces a great cross court forehand volley before holding to stay in front with a great yell of "vamos"

  22. 3-3 - Verdasco is really struggling now - he is much, much slower around the back of the court than he was before and Nadal holds to stick with him. There was more treatment at the change of ends for Verdasco, on the front of the left leg, around the shin area

  23. 3-2 - A love service game from Verdasco, who is now up to 15 in the ace count

  24. 2-2 - Despite the score being 2-2 in this fourth set, it is Nadal who is firmly in control of this match now as an increasingly tired looking Verdasco hits out for Nadal to hold. No injury time-out for Verdasco at the change of ends before, by the way, just a chat with the trainer

  25. 2-1 - Verdasco holds again despite Nadal's pressure and he is beginning to show some of his frustration now as he pulls his opponent up to the net with a cheeky sliced drop shot before thumping a vicious backhand drive volley past the fast-approaching Nadal into the just about open court. Nadal shied away a little from the ball and Verdasco has called for the trainer at the change of ends

  26. 1-1 - An ace from Nadal wraps up his opening service game of this set as Verdasco's right hip seems to be causing him a few problems. Just a small grimace and a bit of a stretch from the older Spaniard though, nothing more yet

  27. 1-0 - Verdasco opens up the fourth set with a confidence-boosting hold of serve

  28. 6-7 - He only needs the one though and NADAL TAKES THE THIRD SET 7-2 in the breaker with his 10th ace of the match!

  29. TB2-6 - Nadal comes up with a stunning backhand across court that leaves Verdasco standing and the world number one has four set points ...

  30. TB2-4 - Verdasco is clearly frustrated with himself after a sluggish start to the breaker, that sees him drop to 1-4 down but a 216 kph serve down the T followed by an equally big forehand into the open space at least leave Verdasco only trailing 4-2 at the change of ends

  31. 6-6 - Ace number 12 from Verdasco, this one down the T at 211 kph, and the older Spaniard has forced the third set tie-break

  32. 5-6 - Nadal whips a scorching, angled forehand across court for the winner that sees him hold to 15. At the very worst Nadal will have a chance to decide this set in a tie-break. But first Verdasco will have to hold serve

  33. 5-5 - Verdasco does brilliantly well to withstand the inevitable Nadal pressure and hold to 30 with a service winner straight down the T. Verdasco, amazingly has hit 62 WINNERS already in this match, compared to 28 from Nadal. That is a ridiculous number of winners to hit against the world number one!

  34. 4-5 - Nadal holds to leave himself just one set from taking a two sets to one lead and Verdasco will have to serve to stay in this third set after the change of ends

  35. 4-4 - Verdasco holds to level up once again, to deuce, and even threw in an emphatic forehand volley, which would have dropped wide, and a forehand smash which he drilled down into the court to send a message to Nadal that he is not done yet

  36. 3-4 - Once again Nadal seems to lose his focus immediately after breaking and he gifts Verdasco a break back point by slapping long ... and VERDASCO BREAKS BACK again much to the crowd's delight. They really want to see this match go to five sets!

  37. 2-4 - Another battling game frustrates Verdasco as Nadal comes out on top of a long defensive rally setting up a break point ... and NADAL DOES BREAK at the first attempt when Verdasco's attempted backhand down the line goes long

  38. 2-3 - Nadal has really lost his concentration in the last couple of minutes and is VERY LUCKY to hold serve and stay in front, which he does when Verdasco's forehand return of serve drops long. Even Uncle Toni up in the players box looks a little concerned after that game!

  39. 2-2 - All credit to Verdasco he has got himself right back into this set and holds to 15, when Nadal hits his return of serve out, to level up

  40. 1-2 - Verdasco looked really tired after that last game but he has raced out to a 0-40 lead with three break points very quickly indeed by whipping a backhand down the line for a winner ... and VERDASCO BREAKS BACK at the first attempt when Nadal's forehand down the line lands wide

  41. 0-2 - A few signs of fatigue creeping into Verdasco's game now as Nadal ups his agression on the return of serve to earn himself a few break points ... the world number one fails to take advantage of the first two as he hits out but it is good to see that Verdasco is still enjoying himself as he grins when a hawkeye challenge shows Nadal just to have caught the back of the line with a forehand. Again Verdasco saves it but a volley long gifts Nadal a fourth chance and this time NADAL BREAKS, whipping a forehand passing shot down the line for a winner

  42. 0-1 - Nadal takes the opening game of the third set as both men, and the crowd, take a slower pace to catch their breath

  43. 4-6 - An absolutely out-standing rally, with both players spinning the ball off both wings racing after racing all around the baseline, leaves even Verdasco grinning despite the fact that Nadal earns himself a set point when a whipped forehand deep into the corner, played from outside the baseline. That is the rally of the tournament ... and NADAL HAS THE SECOND SET as Verdasco slaps long to concede his serve for the first time in the match. We are all level.

  44. 4-5 - Nadal is just a game away from the second set now as he holds to 30, much to the frustration of Verdasco, who quite clearly feels he should have done more in that game. But the 25-year-old will have to serve to stay in it after the change of ends and, much to the delight of the female members of the crowd, he uses the break to change his shirt in preparation!

  45. 4-4 - Nadal gets himself a fourth chance but he is having massive problems in closing out this break as he hits an attempted forehand down the line wide. A change of racquet could help, no? Well, Rafa seems to think so. But an emphatic smash from Verdasco straight down the line and an agressive forehand deep into the court followed up by an equally vicious forehand into the corner sees him hold for 4-4

  46. 40-40 - Nadal earns himself his first break point of the match firing a forehand winner across court after a lengthy rally that saw Verdasco scampering all around the baseline ... a first serve out wide from the older Spaniard though level things at deuce. Nadal earns himself a second chance when Verdasco slices a backhand into the net ... again the serve saves it for Verdasco, this time an ace down the T. A third chance comes and goes for Nadal as Verdasco produces a backahnd cross court winner and this is turning into a very important game

  47. 3-4 - Nadal holds again but not before Verdasco gives him a bit of a scare by pushing him to 30 with some more scintilating ground-strokes, particularly off the forehand side

  48. 3-3 - Another ace from Verdasco, his seventh and 135 mph, levels things up again. Another tie-breaker, anyone?!

  49. 2-3 - Nadal keeps shooting nervous looks at his camp in the players box but they seem to be giving him re-assuring looks and he does hold to stay just in front

  50. 2-2 - Verdasco also posts another service hold, again to love, drawing Nadal into the net with a much shorter backhand across court, before sending up a backhand lob that lands right in the back corner of the court. Genius!

  51. 1-2 - Nadal holds again, albeit to 30 this time. Verdasco whipped another forehand return of serve across court at an acute angle for a winner and, in a number of exchanges, the world number one is looking second best at the moment

  52. 1-1 - Verdasco also holds to love, throwing in an ace of his own and firing a serve out wide before sending a forehand wide in the opposite direction on game point

  53. 0-1 - A very good service game from Nadal, including two aces, as he gets himself off the mark in this second set

  54. 7-6 - and VERDASCO HAS TAKEN THE FIRST SET! Absolutely brilliant from the world number 14 as he sends a forehand deep down the line before following the ball into the net and putting the resulting forehand volley away into the open court for the winner. A fantastic first set from the two Spaniards and now we really have a match on our hands!

  55. TB6-4 - Verdasco gets amazingly lucky as his backhand down the line catches the net, literally rolls up and over the tape and lands smack on the sideline on Nadal's side of the net. It brings up two set points for Verdasco though ...

  56. TB3-3 - Nadal makes a good start to the breaker racing out to a 3-1 lead but Verdasco shows no signs of nerves making his way into the net on two consecutive points and coming out on top each time, the latter as Nadal pushes his attempted backhand passing shot long, to leave the scores tied at the change of ends

  57. 6-6 - A stunning backhand return of serve winner straight down the line gets Verdasco off to a great start in the game but Nadal recovers and, although Verdasco wins another point with a whipped forehand that he really had no right to even get in court let alone with the point from, Nadal holds with an ace out wide to force a first set tie-break

  58. 6-5 - Verdasco finds himself in a spot of bother on his serve at 15-30, as hawkeye shows a Nadal groundstroke to have just caught the back of the line, and again at 30-40, when Verdasco slaps a forehand into the net ... but a service winner gets the older Spaniard back to deuce. Again Verdasco gifts his opponent a break point by hitting out but a great serve out wide followed by a backhand out to the opposite wing saves the danger and Verdasco holds with a forehand drive volley and an ace

  59. 5-5 - Verdasco whips a forehand return of serve across court for a winner to leave Nadal 0-30 down on his serve. Nadal recovers to level at 30-30 when Verdasco hits a double-handed backhand into the top of the tape but still he has to work hard before being allowed to hold with consecutive aces

  60. 5-4 - Verdasco holds to 15 with some more very solid serving, his trademark, and Nadal will have to serve to stay in the set after the change of ends. Verdasco had the highest first serve percentage on the tour last year

  61. 4-4 - Nadal continues to stick with Verdasco, although the world number 14 does not appear to be tightening up at all as this opening set gets towards crunch point

  62. 4-3 - Another ace from Verdasco as he holds to remain in front. He is really taking his time between points today, more time than he would usually take, and it looks like he's just sending a message to Nadal, letting him know that Nadal taking his time will not intimidate him. Anything you can do, I can do better, sings Verdsaco - well, he doesn't so much sing it as imply it!

  63. 3-3 - Nadal posts another solid service hold to keep things on track in this first set

  64. 3-2 - Verdasco is not looking daunted by the situation at all as he puts away a tricky forehand smash before cheekily drop shot-ing his compatriot. Nadal pushes Verdasco to deuce but the older Spaniard goes toe-to-toe with his opponent on the rally and wins, as Nadal slices into the net, and Verdasco holds again

  65. 2-2 - Verdasco earns himself an early break point coming up with some great defensive play that Nadal is unable to cope with ... but the older Spaniard squanders the opportunity by firing an overhead smash just long after working himself into a winning position in the rally and Nadal goes on to hold with a couple of heavy first serves

  66. 2-1 - Verdasco has made a super start to this match, already firing down his second ace and whipping a forehand winner across court and onto the sideline, to hold and keep himself in front

  67. 1-1 - Nadal holds to 30 to get off the mark when Verdasco pushes a defensive backhand just wide of the tramlines

  68. 1-0 - Nadal pushes Verdasco to deuce in his opening service game but the world number 14 fires an ace straight down the T on game point to get off the mark

  69. 0-0 - This is the first all left-handed semi-final of any Grand Slam for 17-years ... and it will be Verdasco, the older Spaniard to get us underway

  70. 08:42 - This being a night match, the temperature is beginning to cool now, it is down to 30 degrees, and the roof has been re-opened. So we are back to this being an outdoor tournament

  71. 08:39 - Nadal and Verdasco have faced each other six times before with the world number one leading the head-to-heads 6-0. But Verdasco has been in the form of his life, since leading Spain to the Davis Cup title in November, reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final and reaching the world's top 10 for the first time, which is where he will be after this tournametn concludes

  72. 08:24 - Hello and welcome to Eurosport Yahoo!'s LIVE coverage of this, the second men's semi-final between world number one Rafael Nadal and fellow Spanaird Fernando Verdasco, seeded 14th, who like Nadal is also left-handed