• Top seed loses quarter-final in four sets • Thiem beats Nadal 7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6
Dominic Thiem helds his nerve to send a tetchy
Rafael Nadal out of the
Australian Open in the quarter-finals, prolonging the world No 1’s indifferent run in Melbourne.
Nadal was looking to equal Roger Federer’s record of 20 grand slam singles titles but that will have to wait after Thiem, the fifth seed, dug in for a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6) victory over more than four hours to progress to a semi-final against Alexander Zverev.