Rafael Nadal avoids top player exodus from Aussie Open, beats Grigor Dimitrov to enter semis
Rafael Nadal, who received treatment several times for a nasty-looking blister on the palm of his left hand, registered a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7), 6-2 against Grigor Dimitrov.
Rafael Nadal avoided the top player exodus that claimed two-time defending women's champion Victoria Azarenka in the preceding match for a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7), 6-2 win over Grigor Dimitrov in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Nadal, who received treatment several times for a nasty-looking blister on the palm of his left hand, advanced to a semifinal match against the winner of the marquee quarterfinal between Andy Murray and Roger Federer.
Azarenka won't have a semifinal date. Agnieszka Radwanska stopped Azarenka's 18-match winning run at Melbourne Park with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 win earlier in the day.
That means both defending champions went out in the quarterfinals - Novak Djokovic lost to Stan Wawrinka on Tuesday. Women's title contenders Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova were defeated in the fourth round.