Australian Open: Rafael Nadal beats Matteo Berrettini to reach Melbourne final

After a dominant start, Nadal beat Matteo Berrettini in the Australian Open semi-finals to move one win away from a record 21st Grand Slam men's title.

Berrettini eventually turned the match into a contest, but Nadal won 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3.

The 35-year-old Spaniard is level on 20 major titles with his rivals.

The winner of the final will face Nadal.

The first two sets were some of the best that Nadal has played in a long time.

I had to fight and suffer but to be in the final again means a lot.

The achievement in reaching a 29th Grand Slam final comes only a few months after Nadal thought his career was over because of a foot injury.

The second men's semi-final will be played later on Friday at Melbourne Park.

It is the first time since 1999 that both men's and women's semi-finals have been played on the same day.

The US Open champion was beaten in the final by the Serbian, who did not play this year after being deported from Australia in a visa row.

After losing in the French Open final last year, Tsitsipas is aiming for his first Grand Slam title.

Nadal shows killer instinct at either end of the match

There were still doubts about Nadal's chances before the match because of his injury problems last year.

The indoor conditions may have favored the powerful Berrettini, and how 35-year-old Nadal would have recovered after being destroyed physically in the quarter-finals against Canada.

With the benefit of two full days without a match since Tuesday, Nadal quickly quashed any uncertainty.

From the beginning, Nadal attacked Berrettini's backhand, considered the weakest part of the Italian's game.

After falling behind, the Italian was able to get on the board after 20 minutes thanks to some big serving.

Nadal closed in on the set as he served at 5-3 and, although some loose returns allowed Berrettini to fight back to deuce, he appropriately sealed the opener with a serve to the Italian which hit the net.

The backhand of Berretini continued to break down in the second set, allowing Nadal to take his opening two service games.

The other aspects of the Italian's game were suffering as he looked unsure how to stop Nadal.

Berrettini had hit 24 unforced errors when Nadal sealed the second set. His inability to test Nadal was costly.

Berrettini needed to hold serve at the start of the third set to put pressure on Nadal.

The Italian's confidence grew and he began to trouble Nadal more with his forehand.

Finally he earned his first break points of the match, taking the second for a 5-3 lead with another forehand winner and serving out to love to ensure at least a fourth set.

Both men held serve in the first seven games but Berrettini let a chance slip away with two missed forehands.

The Italian had held to love in four successive service games, but then Nadal pounced.

After missing a first break point with a wide forehand to end a high-quality, intense rally, Nadal took his second when Berrettini hit into the net and then served out the victory.