Rafael Nadal Serves Past Milos Raonic To Reach Australian Open 2017 Semifinals

Rafael Nadal has been saddled by injuries over the last few years that have sidelined him for extended periods of time.

Rafael Nadal Serves Past Milos Raonic To Reach Australian Open 2017 Semifinals

Now, the 30-year-old Spaniard, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, seems hungrier than ever for another major title.

Nadal won his 50th career match at the Australian Open to reach his 24th career Grand Slam semifinal with a resounding 6-4, 7-6 (7), 6-4 quarterfinal victory over third seed Canadian Milos Raonic on Wednesday.

“I’m excited about being back in final round of the most important events,” said Nadal, who won the last of his Grand Slam titles at the 2014 French Open, which also was the last time he was in a semifinal at a major.

“I’m very happy that after a lot of work, to be in this round again. I’m playing and competing very well during the whole event.”

Three of the four semifinalists on both the men’s and women’s side in Melbourne this year are veterans who are 30 or older. Nadal, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka are over-30 in the men’s competition, while sisters Serena and Venus Williams, and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni are the over-30 contingent on the women’s side.

The two remaining semifinalists– 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and unseeded American Coco Vandeweghe– are both 25 years old. In another strange coincidence, Dimitrov and Vandeweghe were both U.S. Open junior champions in 2008.

The Australian Open is the only major Nadal hasn’t won more than once in his career, with his only victory coming in 2009.

The ninth seed says he always strives to remain humble whenever he plays in such big tournaments.

“I think I’m not a very arrogant person so I always have doubts,” he said. “Even when I was winning a lot I had doubts, so more so when I’m injured. When you have doubts you’re willing to work more.

“I’ve had a great career, but at same time tough moments. That makes me enjoy the good moments like today.”

The second set of his match against Raonic was particularly telling. After the Canadian won the fifth game to go 3-2 on serve, he complained his upper right leg and groin area bothered him and stepped off the court to see the trainer for treatment.

Raonic eventually returned to control the set, having three set points on Nadal’s serve in the 10th game, and then three more in the tiebreaker, but they were all to no avail.

From there, Nadal took a two-set lead.

Nadal will next face Dimitrov, who reached his second career Grand Slam semifinal by securing a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over 11th seed David Goffin of Belgium.

“Everybody thinks he’s a potential major winner, no?” said Nadal, rhetorically, of Dimitrov, who still remains better known for once being the boyfriend of Maria Sharapova.

“He’s a player that’s been on the tour for a lot of years already. He’s a player that has an unbelievable talent, unbelievable potential.”

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day 10 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)