10sBalls Shares Ricky’s Preview And Pick For The 2017 Australian Open Tennis Semi’s : RAFA Nadal vs. Grigor Dimitrov – By Ricky Dimon

Written by: Staff on 26th January 2017

10sBalls Shares Ricky's Preview And Pick For The 2017 Australian Open Tennis Semi's : RAFA Nadal vs. Grigor Dimitrov - By Ricky Dimon

epa05748235 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in action against David Goffin of Belgium during the Men's Singles quarterfinal match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 January 2017. EPA/MADE NAGI |

By Ricky Dimon

As the third-highest seed in his own quarter of the draw, Rafael Nadal was not expected to reach even the semifinals of the Australian Open. But he has done just that, surviving one five-setter in the process. The other bottom-half semifinalist is even more surprising, as Grigor Dimitrov emerged from Novak Djokovic’s section of the bracket.

Ricky previews the match and makes his prediction.

(9) Rafael Nadal vs. (15) Grigor Dimitrov

Nadal and Dimitrov will be facing each other off for the ninth in their careers on Friday. The head-to-head series is being dominated 7-1 by Nadal, who has won four of their five hard-court encounters. They faced each other in the quarterfinals of the Aussie Open three years ago, when the Spaniard got the job done 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(7), 6-2. Dimitrov’s lone victory came via a 6-2, 6-4 decision last fall in Beijing, but that came during a stretch in which Nadal somewhat inexplicably played two fall-swing events in between the U.S. Open and a premature end to his season because of a wrist issue.

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action during his Men’s Singles quarter-final match against Milos Raonic of Canada at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 January 2017. EPA/LYNN BO BO

It’s safe to say the former world No. 1 has bounced back nicely from the injury that forced him out of the French Open after two rounds and prevented him from appearing at Wimbledon. Nadal won the six-man Abu Dhabi tournament last month, dropped a three-setter to Milos Raonic in the Brisbane quarterfinals, and then avenged that setback by defeating Raonic 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 on Wednesday. The 14-time major champion preceded that result by taking out Florian Mayer, Marcos Baghdatis, Alexander Zverev, and Gael Monfils.

Dimitrov has advanced to his second career Grand Slam semifinal (Wimbledon in 2014) thanks to victories over Matthew O’Connell, Hyeon Chung, Richard Gasquet, Denis Istomin, and David Goffin. The Bulgarian is a percet 10-0 in 2017, having tuned up for the Australian Open by taking the Brisbane title.

“He’s a player that has been on the tour for a lot of years already,” Nadal said of his upcoming opponent. “He’s a player that has an unbelievable talent; unbelievable potential. He started the season playing unbelievable. (It) is going to be a very tough match for me. I hope for him, too. I’m going to try to play my best because I know he’s playing with high confidence.”

It’s true that Dimitrov is confident, but he has not taken a test in 2017 like the one that awaits him on Friday: facing Nadal in a Grand Slam semifinals. The world No. 15 does not have the same firepower like that of Raonic or Zverev with which to inflict serious damage on Nadal. If the ninth seed continues to play aggressively like he did when he finished with more winners than Raonic, he should be able to set up a dream final with Roger Federer.

Pick: Nadal in 4