Nadal in first semi since 2014 after convincing victory over Raonic

The victory also equalled Dimitrov’s career-best winning streak of 10 matches after he won the Brisbane International in the build-up to this tournament.

In 2014, Nadal won his ninth title at Roland Garros and all seemed well with his world. “That makes me enjoy even more the good moments I’m having today”.

Raonic took an injury break midway through the second set, and perhaps Nadal’s rhythm was disrupted.

How did Nadal do it? I just tried to keep fighting to win the next point and that’s the only way. It’s good news. Especially winning against hard players: (Gael) Monfils in quarter-finals, (Alexander) Zverev Round of 16 and now Raonic.

Relentless and consistent play from Nadal in the backcourt overwhelmed an out-of-sorts Raonic who began to suffer another flair up of his adductor that he damaged at the Brisbane International in early January. Raonic is the highest-seeded man remaining with both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic out of the tournament. That’s what I was surprised with more than the tennis level. I thought he did some things well. “I was beaten “in just” 18 matches”. So that’s very important for me because that means that I’m competitive and playing well. The 30-year-old Spanaird broke Raonic’s booming serve once in the first set to take it 6-4, then saved three set points in a second-set tiebreaker to win it 7-6. “Hopefully I can play better, I can only go better”.

And Serena doesn’t think yet to retire, rightly: “I have seen players in the locker room I faced that are now in the legends tour, some even older than me”. I made two pretty poor mistakes off balls that didn’t have much in the middle of the court on my forehand side.

“I felt kind of a little bit of unfinished business”, she said.

A double-fault from the Spaniard offered two set points when he was serving to stay in the set at 5-4. It was one that saw him in top form, both technically and tactically.

“It’s good news”, he said happily.

Goffin knocked Thiem out in the third round of last year’s Australian Open, before losing to the Austrian in the quarters at the French Open.

But for Nadal, the win against Raonic was a moment to savour after an injury-plagued past few years.

Lucic-Baroni’s story is one of the most interesting in world tennis now. His confidence and perhaps slightly stronger mental game could make the difference in what should be a very close match. “There’s a lot of storylines there”. That will be the second matchup on the day.

“Grigor is a great player”, continued the 14-time major victor. Is a good start of the season.

“Sometimes [it] is tough to play against Gael when you don’t know what he is going to do”.

Rafael Nadal is relishing the prospect of facing long-time adversary Roger Federer in the Australian Open final as he joined the Swiss in the semifinals on Wednesday.