MELBOURNE: Rafa Nadal stood one win away from a men's record 21st Grand Slam singles title after overpowering Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Friday to reach the Australian Open final.
A win for the Spaniard in Sunday's final against either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas will break a three-way tie with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer and give him sole ownership of the record.
With rain bucketing down outside, the 35-year-old Nadal made a fast start under the closed roof of the Rod Laver Arena and took control by breaking Wimbledon finalist Berrettini's serve early in each of the first two sets.
Nadal's vicious top-spin forehand did most of the damage early on, pinning Berrettini down behind the baseline and leaving him very little time to produce his big groundstrokes.
"I started the match playing great. First two sets have been one of the best so far since a long time," Nadal said on court.
"I know how good is Matteo. He's a very solid player, very dangerous. In the third I knew at some point he's gonna go for the shots.
"We need to suffer and we need to fight. That is the only way to be where I am today. Honestly, it means a lot to me to be in the final here again."
Just when it looked as if the match would go the same way as their only previous meeting, when Nadal won in straight sets at the 2019 U.S. Open, Berrettini came alive.
He started forcing Nadal back with heavy forehands in the third set and a first break of serve for the 25-year-old Italian in the eighth game forced a fourth.
Nadal then got the crucial break in the eighth game as the Italian's unforced errors increased and another mistake -- his 39th compared to his opponent's 19 -- allowed the 2009 champion to convert his first matchpoint after a battle that lasted two hours and 55 minutes.
It will be the 29th major final for Nadal on Sunday and a second title at Melbourne Park would make him only the second man after Djokovic to win every Grand Slam title twice since the sport became professional in 1968.
"I have been a little bit unlucky during my career with some injuries and other times I played amazing finals with good chances," said Nadal, who will play in his sixth Australian Open final. "I was close a couple of times.
"I feel very lucky that I won once in my career in 2009 but I never thought about another chance in 2022."
Reuters
Fri Jan 28 2022
![Tennis - Nadal beats Berrettini to reach Australian Open final Tennis - Nadal beats Berrettini to reach Australian Open final](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-01/81643362014_MELBOURNE.jpg)
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning his semi-final match against Italy's Matteo Berrettini, Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 28, 2022. - REUTERS
![Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/51719647184_LionelMessi.jpg)
Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan
Kapten Argentina, Lionel Messi berharap agar beliau cepat pulih daripada kecederaan buku lali yang dialaminya perlawanan akhir Copa America.
![MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721105894_AhmadZahidHamidi.jpg)
MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid
MARA diminta untuk terus meneroka potensi antarabangsa dalam industri halal yang mempunyai prospek besar menerusi program Gate to Global (GTG).
Saya akan rindu bau durian - Kim Pan-gon
Menurut Kim Pan-gon, beliau akan tetap bangga dengan pasukan bola sepak Malaysia walaupun dimana beliau berada.
Katanya beliau akan merindui bau durian dan langit Malaysia. #AWANInews
Katanya beliau akan merindui bau durian dan langit Malaysia. #AWANInews
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan berikutan komitmen peribadi
Pengurus pasukan kebangsaan Malaysia, Kim Pan-gon menyatakan perletakan jawatan tersebut kerana komitmen peribadi.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
![Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721102997_SimposiumDronKeban.jpg)
Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi
Penggunaan dron membolehkan pemantauan pencemaran alam sekitar dan hidupan liar serta pencerobohan hutan dilaksanakan dengan lebih berkesan.
![Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih, akan terus rindui sokongan rakyat Malaysia Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih, akan terus rindui sokongan rakyat Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/71718142997_KimPanGon.jpg)
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih, akan terus rindui sokongan rakyat Malaysia
Kim Pan-gon menjadi satu-satunya individu yang bakal meninggalkan pasukan manakala Pau Marti bersama staf sokongan yang lain kekal di Kelana Jaya.
![Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721109015_bekaspengawalperib.jpg)
Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan
Bekas anggota polis wanita yang kini bekerja sebagai pengawal peribadi cedera setelah motosikal ditunggangnya melanggar sebuah SUV di lebuh raya PLUS.
![Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719996195_MKulasegaran.jpg)
Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran
RUU Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentangkan di Parlimen pada akhir tahun ini selepas cadangan ketetapan bagi penggubalan Akta Kebebasan Maklumat dibawa ke Jemaah Menteri untuk kelulusan.
![Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108438_azizi.jpg)
Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu
Timbalan Ketua Polis Perak Datuk Azizi Mat Aris dilantik sebagai Ketua Polis Perak yang baharu hari ini.
![ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108165_ADUNRembiaPN.jpg)
ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin
Menurut Takiyuddin, keahlian Muhamad Jailani yang juga wakil rakyat UMNO diterima pada 10 Jun tahun lalu, namun diumumkan secara rasmi hari ini.
![Rafael Nadal tarik diri daripada Wimbledon, Olimpik Tokyo Rafael Nadal tarik diri daripada Wimbledon, Olimpik Tokyo](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-10/41602432012_RafaelNadal.jpg)
Rafael Nadal tarik diri daripada Wimbledon, Olimpik Tokyo
Rafael Nadal mengambil keputusan untuk menarik diri daripada kejohanan Wimbledon dan Olimpik Tokyo.
![Rafael Nadal raih gelaran ke-12 Terbuka Perancis Rafael Nadal raih gelaran ke-12 Terbuka Perancis](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2019-06/81560100885_TBRafaelNadal.jpg)
Rafael Nadal raih gelaran ke-12 Terbuka Perancis
Rafael Nadal meraih gelaran ke-12 kejuaraan tenis Terbuka Perancis selepas menewaskan Dominic Thiem 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 sebentar tadi.