Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Matteo Berrettini | AP
Melbourne: Rafael Nadal marched into the final of the Australian Open to be just one match away from becoming the all-time men's Grand Slam leader after overcoming Matteo Berrettini in their semi-final on Friday.
The 35-year-old Spanish legend seeded sixth, was too solid for the Italian seventh seed winning 6-3, 6-2. 3-6, 6-3 in 2hr 55min and will face either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's final.
The Spanish gladiator is one win away from getting the jump on fellow 20-time Grand Slam champions and "big three" rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the race to become the greatest male player in tennis history.
Nadal seeded sixth and with just one Australian Open crown among his 20 majors, back in 2009, had modest expectations resuming after a three-and-a-half-month lay-off with a chronic foot injury at the end of last season.
But a combination of nine-time winner Djokovic's dramatic deportation on the eve of the tournament over-vaccination issues and world number three Alexander Zverev's shock fourth-round exit cleared Nadal's path.
Nadal has been modifying his game to compensate for a degenerative bone disease in his left foot that threatens to end his remarkable career and faces another test in the final.
AFP
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