Nadal Sets Up Federer Semi-Final

© Getty ImagesRafael Nadal has now won 10 straight matches against Tomas Berdych.

Second seed and 2009 champion Rafael Nadal has set up a blockbuster Australian Open semi-final against his great rival, third seed and four-time former titlist Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Nadal beat seventh seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-3, in four hours and 16 minutes, on Tuesday night. It was the Spaniard's 10th straight win over Berdych.

"I think the level of the third and fourth set for me was very, very high playing on these courts," said Nadal. "[I'm] very happy about how I finished the match. It's true it is difficult against a player like [Berdych], because you don't have chances on return. He hit the ball very, very hard and very flat. [It is] very difficult to find [any] rhythm."

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Nadal improves to a 549-117 lifetime match record. He has a 17-9 FedEx ATP Head 2 Head record against Federer, who Nadal beat in the Australian Open final three years ago. "All the matches against [Federer] are special," said Nadal. "Every match is different, and I know I will be on court playing against probably the best [player] in the history [of the sport]. So obviously my only way to win is play aggressive [and to] play very well. That's what I'm going to try."

Nadal managed to save four set points from 0/40 at 5-6 in the first set, which was decided on a tie-break. Berdych's forehand let him down in the early stages of the tie-break, but he recovered from 4-5 to win the 75-minute opener.

Nadal began to hussle early in the second set by seizing control of long rallies and hitting winners off any short balls. The Spaniard took a 3-1 lead after breaking Berdych to 30 and went onto serve for the set at 5-3. But Berdych regained his composure and reeled off a number of groundstroke winners to break serve at 30/40 with a forehand volley winner.

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Berdych saved one set point at 5-6, 30/40, with another volley winner. In the tie-break, Nadal squandered a 4-1 lead. Berdych could not convert a set point opportunity at 6-5 - when he hit a backhand volley wide - and he then made two straight forehand errors to conclude the 71-minute set.

When Berdych took a 2-0 lead in the third set, Nadal fought back to win four games in a row. Having added extra weight on his racquet this season, Nadal's serve began to fizz down; his topspin forehand began to jam-up Berdych's backhand in long rallies, and his forays to the net were well planned.

At 3-5, Berdych saved one set point with a 108 miles per hour kicked serve. The Czech eventually held to force Nadal to close out the 53-minute set, which he did to 15, with an athletic smash winner.

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Berdych was brought to a standstill at the start of the fourth set, when Nadal sprinted from the deuce court to the opposite corner to hit a running forehand winner down the line at break point. It brought the capacity crowd on Rod Laver Arena to its feet.

Berdych kept fighting. He saved three break points at 1-3 and in the next game he started to hit heavier groundstrokes to leave Nadal at 15/40. But both break points were saved with forehand winners down the line. At 2-4, Berdych came through another tough service hold. But two games later, Nadal broke serve for the fourth time to wrap up victory.

"It was really good match," said Berdych, who also lost to Nadal in the 2010 Wimbledon final. "If you look at the draw here, [seven of the Top 8] are in last eight and there is only one guy [Kei Nishikori] that is out of Top 8 guys. That just shows [you] that the Top 8 guys are really strong. This is probably the toughest time to play."