Nadal gets lucky as shocks rock Aussie Open

Rafael Nadal narrowly avoided joining the Australian Open's shock casualties on today as women's champion Victoria Azarenka became the latest star to fall in what has become a tournament of upsets.
A day after Novak Djokovic's three-year Melbourne reign was halted by Stanislas Wawrinka, Nadal also flirted with disaster before getting out of jail against smooth Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.
The 13-time Grand Slam champion, troubled by a huge blister on his racquet hand, went a set down against the exciting young prospect and, facing set points in the third, he was tottering.
But Dimitrov, 22, went just long on the first set point and Nadal saved another before the Bulgarian gave him a one-set lead when, gifted an easy winner off a net cord, he ballooned his forehand out.

"I was so lucky," admitted the Spaniard, who ran out a 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 winner and will face either Roger Federer or Andy Murray in his 22nd Grand Slam semi-final.
Djokovic's defeat by Wawrinka, who will play Tomas Berdych in the semis, ensures that Melbourne will host the first Slam final not contested by two of tennis's "Big Four" since the 2010 French Open.
"I'm a bit shattered," said Dimitrov. "It's tough losing that match, my first (Grand Slam) quarter-final. I came out expecting nothing less than to win."
The women's contest has been even more drastically affected and there was an air of resignation rather than shock when Azarenka tamely followed Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova out.