Rafael Nadal trains his fire on the Grigor Dimitrov backhand, getting the ball to kick up higher and higher on ever-more acute angles until he gets what he wants.

A patsy of a shot into mid-court and Nadal advances to swat it away into the open court for 30-15.

Dimitrov goes for broke on second-serve return and misses by millimetres. Nadal slaps a cross-court winner from off his patellas and that is the game.

There is some serious fibre to this match already, not a lot of easy points out there. 

Image source, EPA

Maybe coach Dani Vallverdu has brought some of the scurrying stretching defence from Andy Murray's game to the Grigor Dimitrov arsenal.

The Bulgarian claws back a superb backhand on the stretch, catching an advancing Rafael Nadal by suprise at the net to move 30-0 up.

A couple of clubbed serves - thumping off the strings like cannon blasts - wrap up the game to love.

Impressive. Grigor is not here to be a third wheel in the Roger-Rafa romance.

Image source, EPA

The Grigor Dimitrov slice backhand breaks down again, flopping into the net. That could be the shot to target for Nadal today.

Image source, Getty Images

There are some jumbo-sized forehands being unleashed out there.

Both men are looking to get the upper hand early in the ralies on this nippy court.

And it is Rafa who is a little over-eager, pushing long twice in succession to come under early pressure at 0-30.

A duff backhand into the net from Dimitrov, but then he unfurls a sublime shot down the line off the same wing for 15-40 and two break points.

Nadal batters his way through the first one and slugs a forehand across court to save the second.

Dimitrov perhaps a little passive there. Deuce.

Image source, Getty Images

Rafael Nadal takes a slurp of something the lurid colour of Rubicon mango juice. I'm sure it has more electrolytes and technology in it than that though.

Off he hops, as bouncy as Zebidee, to the baseline. 

Nadal to serve first. Here we go...

Image source, Getty Images

John Arkless: Nadal looking to become the first man not wearing glasses to take a set off Dimitrov at the 2017 Australian Open.

Mike Dickson
Daily Mail tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

There's huge attraction in a Federer v Nadal final but Dimitrov has been talked about as the next big thing for ages. He's had problems with his work ethic in the past but is a wonderful player to watch.

I don't think the 'Baby Fed' tag has helped but he has fantastic natural talent and just needs to get his head around the grinding demands required to reach the very top.

No doubt about the winner on the decibel meter. 

Grigor Dimitrov, first out of the tunnel, gets a warm reception, but Rafael Nadal's appearance is roared to the Rod Laver rafters.

The two players come to the net for the coin toss. Pretty matey between the two with mutual back slaps before they both skip to the baseline to start the knock-up.

Image source, EPA

Good news for Britain's Gordon Reid who has completed the career Grand Slam of wheelchair doubles titles.

He and partner Joachim Gerard of Belgium beat fellow Briton Alfie Hewett and Gustavo Fernandez 6-3 3-6 (10-3) in the final.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty

In July last year, Grigor Dimitrov was down at 40th in the world, but his appointment of Andy Murray's former coach Dani Vallverdu has helped him climb to 15th in the rankings.

Vallverdu has been talking to Eurosport and says that a mix of aggression and accuracy is key on the Australian Open's fast courts.

"It is a big match for him. The first strike is key on these courts, that suits Grigor, but it can also expose your movement," he said. 

"Both guys know each other pretty well, there will be no secrets out there, it will be about sticking to your gameplan."

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Meanwhile, America's Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Czech Lucie Safarova have come from a set down against Andrea Hlavackova and Peng Shuai to win the women's doubles final 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-3.

It was their fourth major title together, and ninth overall, after winning at Melbourne and Roland Garros in 2015 and at the US Open last year.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

If you've had your phone/laptop/other device switched off for the past 24 hours, you might want to know how Roger Federer reached his 18th Grand Slam final. Or you might just want to relive what was a corker of a semi-final yesterday.

Federer, returning from a six-month lay-off to rest his left knee, beat fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka 7-5 6-3 1-6 4-6 6-3 in a three-hour plus classic.

Here's how he did it.

Image source, #bbctennis

History is stacked in Rafael Nadal's favour. The 14-time major winner has been there, done it and got plenty of 'I'm the champion' T-shirts.

Dimitrov, in comparison, is bidding to reach his first Grand Slam final. And he has lost seven of his eight previous meetings with Rafa - although the Bulgarian did win when they last stepped on court together in Beijing last year.

Image source, #bbctennis

Grigor Dimitrov has not faced anybody of Rafa Nadal's pedigree so far in Melbourne. Will that be a help or a hindrance? 

The Bulgarian has faced a couple of wildcards - although Denis Istomin did beat Novak Djokovic of course - followed by routine wins over seeded pair Richard Gasquet and David Goffin.

Perhaps crucially, Dimitrov has spent almost three hours less on court than Nadal.

Image source, #bbctennis

It's fair to say Rafa Nadal has faced a tougher slog to reach the last four than his younger opponent. 

Two straight-forward opening matches were followed by a five-set battle with talented young German Alexander Zverev. Then he saw off two blokes ranked higher than him in unpredictable Gael Monfils and then-tournament favourite Milos Raonic.

Image source, EPa

Grigor Dimitrov was touted as Roger Federer's heir apparent when he appeared on the scene.

It hasn't quite worked out like that.

The 25-year-old - dubbed Baby Fed - has admitted that he has been distracted from chasing titles by affairs of the heart in the past.

"I obviously have a soft spot for that," he said.

"I think when I was younger, I was struggling to kind of differentiate love from a personal love or a tennis love or whatever else. There was a time that I wasn't sure how to deal with both things in the same time."

Dimitrov is currently dating Nicole Scherzinger, having previously paired up with Maria Sharapova and, reportedly, Serena Williams.

Image source, Getty Images

Federer's cardie. Rafa's bandana. And possibly the most noughties photo you have ever seen.

What followed, in the 2008 Wimbledon final, was perhaps the most absorbing, storied match this side of the millenium.

The two - who haven't met in a Grand Slam final since the 2011 French Open final - could be reunited in Sunday's Australian Open final.

But first Rafael Nadal has a tricky semi-final to negotiate.