Eloise HorsfieldRAFAEL Nadal has beaten Roger Federer in the semi-final of the Australian Open, securing his place in the final.
The Spaniard’s performance was one of the best of his career.
Nadal will now face either Scot Andy Murray or Serb Novak Djokovic – depending on who wins their match tonight.
“For me it’s a dream to be back in the final,” said a smiling Nadal.
“It’s a real honour to play against Roger. It was a fantastic match. It’s fantastic to have a player in front of you who doesn’t make mistakes, having a totally complete game.”
World number three Federer played near-perfectly at the start of the match, but grew weaker as time went on and finished with 63 unforced errors.
“Don’t feel too sorry for me,” said the Swiss player. “Considering I haven’t lost in five months or something, it’s not that bad.”
The final will be held on Sunday evening in Australia, starting early Sunday morning in Spain.
