(CNN)Rafael Nadal remains on course to make history at this year’s Australian Open after beating Denis Shapovalov in five sets – 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 – on Tuesday.
The Spaniard is aiming to break the record for most men’s singles Grand Slam titles, a milestone he currently shares with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal is now just two games away from that elusive 21st Grand Slam title, meeting either Matteo Berrettini or Gael Monfils in the semifinals.
There were questions about Nadal’s fitness in Melbourne after the 35-year-old struggled with injuries and a bout of Covid-19 last year, but the 20-time Grand Slam champion showed on Tuesday he was ready for the fight .
His fight with Shapovalov lasted more than four hours and Nadal was struggling with a stomach problem, an issue that required medication throughout the game.
“I was starting to not feel very good in my stomach so I asked for something, they relieved the tension, checked my body was okay and some pills to try and improve my stomach “Nadal said after the game.
“I’m not 21 anymore… after this game it’s great to have two days off. I was feeling pretty good physically but the conditions weren’t that hot.”
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“I was completely devastated”
Nadal had taken a two-set lead after an impressive start to the game, but his Canadian opponent forced a decisive set after finding his form just in time.
Shapovalov had been cheered on early in the game after apparently struggling with how long Nadal was taking between points.
In the second set, his frustration finally got too much and he snapped at the chair umpire, shouting, “You’re all corrupt.”
After forcing Nadal into a final set, Shapovalov seemed to run out of breath as the Spaniard used his wealth of experience to get over the line.
A huge grin spread across Nadal’s face after Shapovalov saw his attempted volley at match point go wide as the Canadian vented his final frustration on his racquet.
“I honestly don’t know,” Nadal said when asked how he won the match. “After that I was completely devastated. Very hard day, very warm.
“To be honest, I didn’t train for that. I was a bit lucky at the beginning of the fifth. I played great at the beginning of the game, then I know how difficult it is to play against a player like Denis.
“He’s very talented, very aggressive. He served tremendously, especially on the second serve.”
Both men’s semifinals will be played on Friday this year, meaning Nadal will have plenty of time to rest and recover from yet another thriller in Melbourne.
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