Match: Rafael Nadal v Grigor Dimitrov
Date: 26 January, Thursday
Time: 4:30pm SGT/2pm IST/8:30am GMT
Competition: Australian Open 2017
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park
TV Channel: Fox Sports 1 will provide live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live Streaming: The match can be watched live online at AO TV Live, Watch ESPN, Tennis Channel Live
Live scores can be found on the tournament's official website.
Overview
Rafael Nadal is looking set to to reach his first Grand Slam final in three years after his 2014 appearance at Melbourne Park. The Spaniard, who made a return after taking time off the court in the final few months of the last season, has hit peak form again, making light work of his opponents in the earlier rounds of the ongoing tournament.
The world number nine avenged his quarter-final defeat at the Brisbane International earlier this month against Milos Raonic by crushing the third seed in straight sets (6-4, 7-6, 6-4) in the quarter-final on Wednesday. Nadal quashed all doubts about his fitness as well when he clinched a marathon five-setter against German teenager Alexander Zverev in the third round before dismissing Gael Monfils in a four-setter.
However, he will face a stiff test on Friday against rising Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov, who is currently on a 10-match winning streak in 2017. The world number 15 won the title in Brisbane and his impressive victim-list at the season-opener includes Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem.
Despite trailing 7-1 behind his semi-final opponent in the head-to-head count, it was Dimitrov who prevailed in straight sets when the two met last time - in the quarter-final of 2016 China Open last December. After beating Nadal 6-2, 6-4, the Bulgarian defeated Raonic in the semi-final before losing to world number one Andy Murray in the final.
Nadal knows he is in for a tough semi-final outing against Dimitrov, who has only dropped two sets so far in Melbourne but the Spaniard is confident of bringing out his best against his opponent.
"He is a player that has an unbelievable talent, unbelievable potential. He started the season playing unbelievable, no? I going to try to play my best because I know he's playing with high confidence," Nadal said, as quoted by the tournament's official website.
TV Schedule
Australia: Seven
India: Sony Six
Japan: NHK, WOWOW, Sportsnavi
Malaysia: Fox Sports
US: ESPN
UK: Eurosport
Philippines: Fox Sports
Thailand: Fox Sports
China: CCTV, Guangdong Sports, BTV Sports
