World No. 6 Rafael Nadal reaches his 6th Australian Open finals as he defeats 7th seeded Matteo Berrettini in the semi-finals of the 2022 Australian Open. Nadal won the match 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in 2 hours and 55 minutes in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena that will welcome the Spaniard again in the finals on Sunday.
In a disciplined performance by Nadal, he hit 5 aces, 2 double faults, 28 winners, 19 unforced errors and converted 4 of his 8 breakpoints to accumulate 108 points in the match. Berrettini on the other hand had 14 aces, 2 double faults, 38 winners, 39 unforced errors and could convert only 1 of his 2 breakpoints with his indiscipline costing him the match as he ended with only 96 points to his name.
Nadal returns to the Australian Open finals for the first time since he lost the finals in 2019. He had two consecutive quarter-final defeats in 2020 and 2021 and breaks through to reach the final this year. Nadal is back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since he won the 2020 French Open when he clinched his 20th career Grand Slam title.
Berrettini’s backhand error meant Nadal won the match point and qualified for the finals. After an ecstatic celebration on the court and the exchange with Matteo on the net, Nadal was getting ready for his on-court interview changing his shirt when he broke down in tears, overwhelmed by the emotions of reaching the finals once again and 1 win away from his 21st major.
Rafael Nadal also picks up his 500th career win on hard court
The win over Berrettini was Nadal’s 500th win on the hardcourts and has also made him the 4th oldest player in the Open Era to reach the finals of a Grand Slam joining Roger Federer, Kevin Anderson and Ken Rosewall in the group. Nadal is now 1 win away from achieving his second Career Slam and join Novak Djokovic, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson as players with multiple Career Slams.
Nadal will now take on the winner of the second semi-final between Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas who will battle later in the day on the Rod Laver Arena to lock the finals fixture to be played on 30th January.
