Zee Media Bureau/Suyash SrivastavaMelbourne: The second semi-final of the Australian Open 2014, didn`t live up to its hype as Rafael Nadal stormed past Roger Federer in straight sets to reach the final.
5 reasons why Wawrinka can defeat Nadal »
Federer – who showed glimpses of his incredible past in the fourth-round and the quarter-final match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Murray, struggled to find his rhythm against Nadal, who was playing with a blister on his left-palm, with which he generates all the power into his strokes.
Wawrinka's Road to Final »
Federer`s loss distinguished the possibility of an all-Swiss final, but it would be interesting to see whether Stanislas Wawrinka can get his backhand going against the World No. 1. Wawrinka is believed to have the best backhand in men`s tennis at the moment, and he would get a two-day rest prior to the final, compared to Nadal, who will get just one-day gap before the final to be played on Sunday at the Rod Laver Arena.
Rafa's Road to Final »
It would be a great opportunity for Wawrinka to prove his mettle. Stan played some genius tennis to oust defending champion Novak Djokovic in their quarter-final encounter and if he manages to win his maiden Grand Slam title against Nadal, it could get him out of `the other Swiss` image forever.
First Published: Sunday, January 26, 2014, 00:46
