Get involvedpublished at 10:42 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
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Charlie Kelly: Double Geography but still following the tennis #priorities
You'll be in trouble when your teacher reads this Charlie... #detention
Summary
Nadal beats Dimitrov in five thrilling sets
Spaniard wins 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4
Nadal plays Federer in Sunday's final
His first major final since 2014
Match took four hours and 56 minutes
Get involvedpublished at 10:42 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Dimitrov saves two break points, holdspublished at 10:42 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 5-7 1-2 Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov chooses the wrong option to allow Rafael Nadal to 15-30 and then double faults to offer up two break points at 15-40.
Those are stuffed back into the Dimitrov racquet bag in style though as he comes to the net and drives away a running forehand volley to bring it back to deuce.
The luckiest of net cords as the ball hops twice on the wire before deciding to touch down on Nadal territory and an ace snuff out the danger for good.
Image source, AFPPostpublished at 10:38 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Nadal 6-3 5-7 1-1 *Dimitrov
Rafael Nadal lines up his various drinks bottle, labels facing straight out onto court, before jogging out to the baseline oche.
He tugs the shoulders of his shirt and wipes his eyebrows as part of his elaborate pre-serve routine.
Going back to those familiar old routines seems to have comforted the Spaniard.
A hold to love.
Image source, EPAGet involvedpublished at 10:34 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
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David Melton: Surely Federer and Nadal have quite enough Grand Slam Titles between time, so would be nice to see a new name on this one.
Postpublished at 10:34 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 5-7 0-1 Dimitrov
Rafael Nadal is being forced back into his shell by Grigor Dimitrov's shot-making.
A thump down the line for 30-0.
A vicious top-spinning winner across court for 40-0.
And the Spaniard bows out of the game as he goes hunting the whitewash and misses by as fraction of a fraction of a milimetre.
Eight straight points for Dimitrov and the mojo is definitely with the Bulgarian glamourpuss.
* denotes next to serve
Image source, EPAGet involvedpublished at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
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Theo Bowyer: Dimitrov fulfilling his early career promise here... going toe to toe with Nadal. Impressive stuff.
Awais Bhatti: I don't think I can take another five-set thriller after yesterday. Just finish Dimitrov off for us eh Rafa.
Image source, Reuters'Nervous Nadal'published at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extraI think there were a lot of nerves out there. Nadal has not been to this stage of a tournament since 2014 and you start to feel the pressure more the older you get because you know how few opportunities you might have left.
Cash advicepublished at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Nadal 6-3 5-7 Dimitrov
Some advice from a two-time Australian Open finalist for Rafa...
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Postpublished at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live sports extraIt couldn't be better poised. Nadal broken three times in his last five service games will set the alarm bells ringing in his camp, and there were a few more unforced errors too.
Game and second set Dimitrovpublished at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Nadal 6-3 5-7 *Dimitrov
Rafael Nadal is a mite wide as he stretches out wide on the forehand wing. 15-15.
A shanked forehand - possibly cranking the top-spin amp a little too high - gives Grigor Dimitrov 15-30.
Second serve to look at. Dimitrov into the net, Nadal runs down the volley, but Dimitrov gets the job done on the stretch at the second time of asking.
Two set points. And, after the torture of the previous Nadal service game, Dimitrov brings the end mercifully quickly.
A squeal of delight from the Bulgarian and we are all square.
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 10:23 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 5-6 Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov feeling sorry for himself?
Thirty-love slides to 30-30 as he clumps a makeable forehand into the net and the pressure and doubts start to creep upwards in the Rod Laver Arena.
A ripped ace, a serve winner down the tee and he is back on his changeover stool with the stiffness of his upper lip proved.
Image source, EPAGet involvedpublished at 10:20 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
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David Reid: Come on Rafa, really want a Fedal final. It would be a great spectacle, I reckon Rafa in four.
Louise Mansergh: While I'd love to see another Fedal final, we do have to admit that their tennis is great but the result is pretty one sided.
Richard England: Dimitrov's game is so similar to Federer's that he has even replicated Roger's "Come on!"
Postpublished at 10:19 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
BBC Radio 5 live sports extraTennis reporter Courtney Nguyen: "This is one of the tests that Dimitrov needs to answer. How does he respond to this setback?
"Is this the new Grigor or the old Grigor? The old Grigor would be feeling very sorry for himself now."
Nadal saves fourth set point, holdpublished at 10:19 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Nadal 6-3 5-5 *Dimitrov
A fourth set point for Dimitrov disappears as Rafael Nadal serves big down the middle and - as video review confirms - catches a sliver of whitewash.
Nadal completes an extraordinary escape with more precise powerful serving and that is a 10-minute game that could weigh heavy on Dimitrov's mind.
Image source, Getty ImagesNadal saves two more set points, deucepublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 4-5 Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov raids the net to bring up another set point.
A horribly framed backhand soars towards the stands to hand it right back by return of post.
Deuce.
A titanic 18-shot rally - full of angle, to and fro, zig and zag - ends with Nadal netting. A third set point.
A big serve out wide and Dimitrov can only pat the return long.
Deuce once more.
Image source, EPANadal saves set point, deucepublished at 10:13 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 4-5 Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov cranks up the pressure a notch and now it is Rafael Nadal - serving to stay in the set - who looks nervy.
A backhand into the net under little pressure hands the Bulgarian 15-30. Just two points from parity...
Dimitrov is half a foot long in the next point, but a superb dipping, fizzing backhand pins Nadal on his toes at the net to bring up 30-40 and set point.
Wowzers. Nadal with a pinpoint, down-the-line winner to see off the danger for now.
Deuce.
Image source, Getty ImagesGet involvedpublished at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
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Andrew Neill: Job opening: Serving coach for either of these players ;)
Image source, EPANadal breakspublished at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 4-5 Dimitrov
A serious case of white-line fever for Grigor Dimitrov as he sniffs the second-set stable and tightens up horribly.
He sends a backhand sailing long down the line to hand Nadal two break points at 15-40.
And then trails sadly into the net to concede the first.
Nadal grips a fist and roars to his box. This hot potato of a set is still up for grabs.
Image source, Getty ImagesDimitrov breakspublished at 10:03 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
Nadal 6-3 3-5 *Dimitrov
Well, well, well.
A sudden and severe rot sets into the Nadal game.
Another error offers up break point and a double fault - the second serve trampoling long off the net cord - hands the initiative back to Grigor Dimitrov.
The Bulgarian serves for the set next.
Image source, AFPNadal taken to deucepublished at 10:03 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2017
*Nadal 6-3 3-4 Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov fluffs a volley at the net to slip to 40-15 and it looks like the game is slipping south.
But a strange mishit lassoo forehand from Rafael Nadal is followed by the Spaniard dumping a backhand into the net.
Deuce out of nowhere.
Image source, EPA