By Daily Sports on January 23, 2019

Rafa Nadal kept the flag flying for the old guard at the Australian Open with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over American Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday for a place in the semi-final, where he will meet another next generation player in Stefanos Tsitsipas.Nadal’s match against Tiafoe, who turned 21 on Sunday, was billed as an intriguing clash of generations after the loss of Roger Federer to Tsitsipas earlier, but the second seed was ruthless as he reached the last four without dropping a set.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion broke Tiafoe’s first service game in each set and with a second break in the third set wrapped up the victory in an hour and 47 minutes.

Nadal was forced to retire hurt in the fifth set of last year’s quarter-final against eventual finalist Marin Cilic, eight years after pulling out midway through his last-eight clash against Andy Murray with a knee injury. Tiafoe, the son of immigrants from Sierra Leone, was content with his performance in the tournament and congratulated Nadal for an “incredible” win.

For a place in the final, Nadal will meet 20-year-old Greek sensation Tsitsipas, who earlier on Tuesday became his country’s first player to reach the last four at a major with a 7-5 4-6 6-4 7-6(2) triumph over Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut. (Reuters)

•Photo shows Rafael Nadal 

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 23, 2019

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