Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles semi-final match on day 11 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2019. AFP / DAVID GRAY
MELBOURNE: A marauding Rafa Nadal ended Stefanos Tsitsipas's trailblazing run at the Australian Open on Thursday, thrashing the 20-year-old Greek in a 6-2 6-4 6-0 masterclass to reach the fifth final at Melbourne Park.
Staging a clinic under the lights at Rod Laver Arena, the Spanish second seed tamed the Tsitsipas serve and racked up 28 sparkling winners against the man who had knocked out double defending champion Roger Federer in the fourth round.
After roaring to a 5-0 lead in the final set, Nadal closed out the match with a huge serve in one hour and 46 minutes leaving Tsitsipas to beat a hasty exit from the stadium.
The 2009 champion Nadal will face either top seed Novak Djokovic or Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the final as he bids for a second Melbourne title and an 18th Grand Slam crown.
