Rafael Nadal Books Ticket to Quarterfinals, Sets Up Meeting With Frances Tiafoe

Nadal cruised through the first two sets by winning the first nine games of the match before dominating the third-set tiebreak to book his ticket to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Second-seeded Rafael Nadal has swept to his 20th victory in 24 attempts over Tomas Berdych with a 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (4) win to advance to the Australian Open quarterfinals.

Nadal won the first nine games of the match and when Berdych finally got on the board in the 10th, the Czech player held his left arm up in mock celebration. Berdych came back strongly in the third set and had a set point in the 12th game before Nadal dominated the tiebreaker.

Out-of-the-box tennis from @GrigorDimitrov 🤯#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/dbgH0DdpHD

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2019

Way to set up set point vs #Rafa, @tomasberdych!

But #Nadal hangs tough & we're into a third set tiebreak.#AusOpen | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/gDAtcNF5MA

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2019

The last time the players met here in 2015 Berdych beat the Spaniard in straight sets to end a 17-match losing streak against Nadal.

It is the 11th time that Nadal has reached the quarterfinals here. He will next play 21-year-old American Frances Tiafoe.