By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 23, 2017
Rafael Nadal thwarted a late-charge from Gael Monfils, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2015 Roland Garros.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Running behind the baseline, Rafael Nadal launched himself in the air and hurled a huge uppercut.
Nadal’s spirited celebration flight concluded a passionate four-set fight.
More: Federer Fights Through in Five
Down a break in the fourth set, a fiery Nadal blazed through four consecutive games outmuscling Gael Monfils, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, to surge into the Australian Open quarterfinals for the ninth time.
"The match was tough,” Nadal said. “He had chances then and he started to serve huge. I keep fighting with a positive attitude and finally I played last few games good."
The ninth-seeded Spaniard advanced to his 30th career Grand Slam quarterfinal, which is fifth on the Open Era list.
It is Nadal’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2015 Roland Garros. The achievement left the sweat-soaked Spaniard wearing the satisfied smile of a man making a long-awaited homecoming.
“I’m very, very happy being in the quarterfinals again in a Grand Slam after a couple of years without being here,” Nadal told Jim Courier afterward. “It’s very special for me, especially here in Australia. I feel a little bit like home, the crowd is always supporting me.”
Asked about his girlfriend, Xisca Perello, joining him Down Under, a jovial Nadal joked: "After 10 years, finally my girlfriend gets a wild card to come here."
The 14-time Grand Slam champion moved closer to a potential dream final with resurgent rival Roger Federer, but while fans salivate over a potential rematch between champions, Nadal remains focused on the next challenge.
Timely returns and his ability to break down Monfils' defense on pivotal points helped Nadal get over the finish line. He converted six of 17 break points.
Nadal scored his fifth straight victory over Monfils raising his career record against the elastic Frenchman to 13-2.
“Gael is a special player, he’s able to play unbelievable shots, he’s one of the most charismatic players,” Nadal said. “Tonight, I think I started well. I had a couple of chances in the third to have the break, but I didn’t.”
Initially, Nadal seemed on course for a routine straight-sets win—he permitted just six games mauling Monfils in the 2014 Australian Open—as he raced through a three-game run breaking Monfils for a two-set lead after 84 minutes of play.
Deadlocked at 4-all in the third, Nadal showed signs of tension with a double fault and pair of forehand errors as Monfils broke for 5-4.
Down Love-40 in the ensuing game, Monfils battled back to deny all three break points. He would save a fourth break point, too, before whipping his sixth ace of the set and finishing with a forehand winner to seize the third set.
Empowered, the 2016 US Open semifinalist began moving closer to the baseline crunching his groundstrokes with more authority as Nadal was dripping sweat. Monfils won a wild 32-shot rally then laced a backhand that tripped on the tape and dribbled over to earn the break and a 3-2 lead.
The 30-year-old Frenchman backed up the break with a two-ace game holding for 4-2 after two hours, 37 minutes of play.
Monfils appeared poised to force a fifth set.
Nadal was in no mood for drama.
As coach uncle Toni Nadal stood in the support box, his nephew rose on court. Nadal belted a backhand winner breaking back for 4-all.
Serving at 4-5, Monfils charged net but pushed a backhand volley wide for match point.
Bossing Nadal around on the ensuing point, Monfils jolted a 103 mph forehand winner to save it. A double fault gave Nadal a second match point. Monfils’ backhand down the line narrowly missed the mark sending the ninth-ranked Nadal into an airborne celebration.
The 2009 champion will face Milos Raonic for a semifinal spot.
The third-seeded Canadian swatted 33 aces in a 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 conquest of 13th-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut that sent him into his third straight Melbourne quarterfinal.
Earlier this month, Raonic cracked 23 aces and fired his forehand with authority defeating Nadal, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, to surge into the Brisbane semifinals for the third straight year. Nadal has won six of eight meetings with Raonic, but the Wimbledon finalist has won two of their last three encounters.