Hope tsitsipas holds his nerve here
That’s Nadal’s chances gone now anyway. Needed a straight sets win here or at the very least to take it in 4.
He has no chance against Medvedev off the back of a 5 setter.
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Tsitsipas wins 3-6 2-6 7-6 6-4 7-5
Tsitsipas in 5.
Looks like Medvedev and Djokovic in the final I’d expect.
Nadal’s awful record down under continues.
tsititsipas only the 3rd man ever to win from 2-0 down to nadal,
This aged well
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The way I see it is that at this stage of their careers. Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are not going to win slams if the top 7 play up to their seedings.
If Thiem was fit and in the semi then I’d probably rank Djokovic behind both Medvedev and Thiem in the favourite rankings.
It’s all about the luck of the draw from here on in.
As long as Djokovic and Nadal are fit and in form I think you will only see the top 7 being able to beat them at present.
The problem is when the top 7 play to their seeds then it’s very, very tough for Djokovic and Nadal get through with successive matches like that.
Djokovic will be a big favourite now for his 9th. The draw has worked out beautifully for him but I think Medvedev could take him if he disposes of Tsitsipas first.
What the fuck? How did that lightweight beat Nadal? Did the back injury catch up with Nadal?
I would have more faith in Medvedev to beat Djokovic than Tsitsipas. Already being in a grand slam final will help him.
Tsitsipas has the mettle there when he puts his mind to it. Beat Federer a few years back in Australia saving 11 break points. Ran Djokovic close at Roland Garros last year in a 5 setter. The extra days rest would certainly have benefited him too in a 5 setter.
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Nadal has only won once in Australia in 2009. His two Championship wins were in 2008 and 2010. Hardcourts in Melbourne play very fast, maybe even as fast as at the All England Club. Hardcourts in New York play slow now and are more akin to clay courts, albeit I think they might have changed the long-standing surface at Flushing last year.
Nadal was only ever really a factor on the faster courts in that 2008-10 window.
So you’re saying Rafa’s ability to perform on fast courts coincided with the peak of Pep’s superhuman indefatigable Barca team 
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The Aussie open is a joke. It favours certain players with rest days and timing games in the evenings when the heat is gone.
Nadal, Federer and Djokovic are terrific players on all surfaces. We’re not talking Lendl on grass or Sampras on clay for any of the three of them.
Nadal is obviously peerless on clay. Federer and Djokovic are far more accomplished players than Nadal on the faster courts though.
Rafas peak was from 08 to 2012 before injuries kicked in. He was still regularly getting to finals since.
Far stranger was pederar wining his 17th in 2012 and talking a 5 year break before winning 3 in 12 in months between 2017-2018.
Djokovic is. I wouldn’t be sure on Federer. He won his slams in an easier era.
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Djokovic laughs at Federar.
Rafa beat Federar at federers peak on grass. Neither of the lads beat Rafa at his peak on clay.
We’re very lucky as sports fans to live through the simultaneous peak of Federer, Nadal, Novak, Messi and Ronaldo around 08-12. Arguably Federer peaked earlier and Novak later but what a golden era.
Federer is 6 years older that Djokovic and 5 years older than Nadal. That’s nearly a generation in tennis terms. Federer has beaten Nadal multiple times at the big one, the Championship and in an Australian Final. Federer has beaten Djokovic in all four Slams, Djokovic only really started to beat Federer regularly once Federer was well past his peak and into his 30’s.
I see Rod Laver earlier in the week when asked about it all said that he rated Federer the greatest ever. Who would disagree with Rod Laver. Rod is been modest in any case. There’s a strong argument that Rod Laver is the greatest player of all time.