THE fantasy last is currently a reality as Rafael Nadal will meet Roger Federer for the Australian Open title.

Nadal secured his place in the noteworthy standoff after an intense five-set triumph over fifteenth seed Grigor Dimitrov, winning 6-3 5 7 6-7 6-4.

It was really an epic, a standout amongst the most vital seen on Rod Laver Arena and kept going just about five hours.

Triumph appeared a convention from the get-go as Nadal easily finished the opening set in only 35 minutes, taking it 6-3.


The rest of the sets however would be a war of steady loss, as both players put on a show for the ages.

Four breaks of serve were traded all through a strange second set, which could have especially been Nadal's.

The Spaniard was splendid in sparing four set focuses off Dimitrov, just to waver all alone serve and blessing him the second set 7-5.

Energy swung between both men and pressures even bubbled over now and again.

Nadal had a curt trade with the seat umpire halfway through the third set, accepted to be about the time infringement punishment he was hit with in the second set.

The third set was a tight undertaking, shockingly without any breaks of serve in it, after the bedlam of the second. It would go to a tie-break, Nadal essentially outworked his more youthful challenger, taking it 7-5 to proceed.

The fourth set would be much the same, and would again go to a tie-break. It was there however that Dimitrov's forceful amusement would pay profits.

Dimitrov bounced everywhere throughout the Nadal serve in the tie-break, taking it 7-4 to send the match into a decider.

The Bulgarian took all the force into the fifth set and in the wake of requiring more than 10 minutes to hold serve in the primary amusement, the turns would proceed.

As the amusement surged past the four-hour check, the quality by one means or another expanded. The initial two diversions of the fifth set contained 26 focuses. The weakness levels rose, thus did the normal rally length.

When searching for a urgent minute in this match — make a beeline for the eighth session of the fifth set. Down 4-3 in the last set, Nadal spared two break focuses to hold serve in a supernatural show of coarseness.

Disappointment would have seen Dimitrov serve for the match, however Nadal had different thoughts.

The Spaniard utilized the energy to betray the fifteenth seed Bulgarian and soon enough it would tell.

Dimitrov would twofold blame, giving Nadal an open door at 0-30.

Nadal would soon have a breakpoint and he'd just need one of them, moving to 5-4 and serving for the match.

After his serve abandoned him now and again all through the epic experience, Nadal will now meet Federer in Sunday night's last, continuing a competition that has held the game throughout the most recent decade.

The standoff was far-fetched months prior, when both men confronted an arrival from damage.

Nadal now moves center to Sunday night, as he has under 48 hours to get ready. The Spaniard saying post-coordinate that he's regarded to impart the stage again to his awesome adversary.

"You know, for me, it's a benefit and extremely extraordinary thing I think for the two of us to be in the last once more," Nadal said.

"It's stunning to have another opportunity to contend with each other following two or three years having a few issues."

Plan

Bar LAVER ARENA

(2) Sania Mirza/Ivan Dodig def Sam Stosur and Sam Groth (AUS) 6-4 2-6 (10-5)

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vanquished (15) Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 6-3 5 7 6-7 6-4

It took very nearly five hours, yet Rafael Nadal at long last took care of business, setting up a tall tale last with Roger Federer for the Australian Open men's singles title.

Nadal won an epic - 6-3 5 7 6-7 6-4.

Nadal breaks

When searching for a critical minute in this match — make a beeline for the eighth session of the fifth set. Nadal spared two break focuses, battling bravely. Disappointment would have seen Dimitrov serve for the match, yet Nadal had different thoughts.

The Spaniard utilized the energy to play Judas on the fifteenth seed Bulgarian and soon enough the weight would tell.

Dimitrov would twofold blame, giving Nadal an open door at 0-30.

Nadal would soon have a breakpoint and he'd just need one of them, moving to 5-4 and serving for the match.

"This is incredible tennis"

The tennis proceeds on Rod Laver Arena, and it shows signs of improvement with consistently.

The semi-last between Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov ticks more than four hours and it has gone to the following level.

"The initial three diversions of this fifth set have been exceptional," Seven observer Lleyton Hewitt said.

"It's difficult to accept we've quite recently completed the initial two diversions of fifth set and we played 26 focuses as of now.

"Take a gander at the normal rally length lift in this fifth set. That is astounding given what must be a ton of weariness in both men's legs. No weariness at all in their psyches."

Dimitrov strengths a fifth

The forceful session of Grigor Dimitrov is paying profits, as he has constrained the semi-last to a fifth and choosing set.

Rafael Nadal's amusement is breaking apart, and the fifteenth seed appears to develop in quality the more extended the match goes on.

Nadal keeps on battling on serve, while agreeable administration recreations has guaranteed Dimitrov can save vitality and afterward assault Nadal, searching for a break.

All through the fourth set recreations stayed on serve, yet amid the tie-break was the place the Bulgarian split away. He ruled Nadal, taking the tie-break 7-4 — as the match surrounds the four hour check.

History against Dimitrov

Grigor Dimitrov should accomplish something he's neglected to in his tennis profession in the event that he is to see off Rafael Nadal.

Dimitrov has never won a match that has gone longer than 3 hours and 32 minutes.

His semi-last on Rod Laver Arena has quite recently ticked over that check and it's not region where the Bulgarian exceeds expectations.

Dimitrov is 0-6 in matches of that extent and that is before you consider his rival — the ironman of tennis, Rafael Nadal.

"How great was that"

The greats by one means or another discover a method for completing it and Rafael Nadal is no exemption.

Nadal delivered the shot of the match at 2-2 in the fourth set.

Again he discovered his serve under weight by Grigor Dimitrov, however his strike would cancel the test in some style.

The shot breathed life into Rod Laver Arena and guaranteed Nadal held serve in another strained amusement.

Seven reporter Lleyton Hewitt was loaded with appreciation for the Spaniard, the shot drawing consistent acclaim from the communicate.

"How great is that," Hewitt stated, before Jim Courier summed it up best.

"14 noteworthy titles and possibly 15 soon. That is the means by which great that was," Courier said.

"Astonishing under weight."

Rafa edges nearer

He was made to work for it, yet the third set has a place with Rafael Nadal, after the Spaniard won a tie-break 7-5.

Nadal is currently a set far from the Australian Open last in the wake of asserting the third.

Grigor Dimitrov keeps on putting weight on the Nadal serve, however it's the Spanish expert's workrate that is seeing him through.

Dimitrov has been cursed by unforced blunders, his 43 twofold those made by Nadal over the initial three sets.

Rafa gets warmed

Things are getting tense on Rod Laver Arena and Rafael Nadal is bubbling over.

Nadal has a curt trade with the seat umpire halfway through the third set, accepted to be about the time infringement punishment he was hit with in the second set.

"I play each day practically. I generally have a similar issue with similar umpires. I don't know why," Nadal vented amid a break in play.

Umpire Pasquale Maria cautioned Nadal for going too moderate between focuses, as the Spaniard was again spurning the 20 second most extreme between focuses as set out in the competition rules at the Australian Open.

It's an indication that the weight of the semi-last cauldron is beginning to get to the Spanish expert as per Lleyton Hewitt.

"I believe it's the disappointment of being up a break part of the way through this third set and not putting his foot down and taking the upside of it," Hewitt said.

"I think it lets us know he's in an alternate mental space than he may have been the point at which he's been in semi-finals at majors some time recently. Where it's been auto pilot sort stuff."

"You don't see that all the time"

Grigor Dimitrov ought to get himself a lottery ticket - his fortunes is in.

In the third round of the third set Dimitrov saw his shot hit the net twice, and remain in play.


Dimitrov's forehand hit the net rope, before skipping open to question, arriving back on the net rope and afterward falling into play.

It's so uncommon in the sport of tennis, however once in a while your fortune is in.

The Bulgarian required the good fortune, it spared break point and he'd go ahead to hold serve.

Seven reporter Todd Woodbridge couldn't contain his stun at the new sight on Rod Laver Arena.

"Goodness, a twofold let. You don't see that frequently. It hits. Arrives back on. What's more, chooses to go over."

Grigor nibbles back

Grigor Dimitrov has guaranteed a peculiar second set, 7-5, in which neither one of the mans needed to hold serve.

Dimitrov broke Nadal to begin with, just for the Spaniard to crush straight spirit in the precise next amusement.

Nadal would then break Dimitrov in the accompanying amusement, to make it three straight breaks of serve.

Be that as it may, then incredibly the Spaniard then gave the crush straight spirit. Nadal gifting the fourth administration break of the set in a similar manner Dimitrov had in the past amusement, a twofold blame on diversion point.

Dimitrov would then hold serve in the ninth round of the set, and afterward had set focuses, and further break focuses against Nadal at 5-4.


The Bulgarian neglected to exploit four set focuses as Nadal held serve in a marathon tenth amusement to tie it up at 5-5. Nadal making some hair-raising recoveries to remain in the set.

The fifteenth seed would then hold to proceed 6-5, compelling Nadal to serve to take the set to a tie-break.

The second set would rapidly reach an end however, as Dimitrov again set weight on the Nadal serve.