Australian Open 2020: Rafael Nadal Upset Loss Sets Up Milestone Matchup

Rafael Nadal will have to wait for another time before he ties Roger Federer for the most number of Grand Slam victories. He lost his Australian Open semifinals match against Dominic Thiem in four sets, 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 6-7. It was a close match all throughout but the Austrian was just too much in his rhythm for the Spaniard to handle.

With Rafael Nadal being a 19-time Grand Slam winner, he is always perceived as the fan-favorite to win his matchup. Anyone who isn’t Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal will always have the odds favored against them.

But with the surging younger generation, the next batch of stars is slowly making their mark in the tennis world. On the other end of the bracket saw Alexander Zverev take control over former Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka in four sets, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

This win sets up a milestone matchup for the new generation of players. This will be the first semifinals that Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev will face head to head. “Sascha [Zverev] and me we are both in our first [hard court Grand Slam] semi-finals while they [Djokovic and Federer] are both in their 15th, so there’s a little bit of a difference," said Thiem after defeating Rafael Nadal.

Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev have met a total of eight times with Thiem winning six of them. Thiem is the older player and Zverev has the height advantage. Thiem is listed at six foot one while Zverev is at six foot six.

The two stars have already won multiple titles of their own but never have they achieved the prestige of a Grand Slam. Dominic Thiem came close twice in the 2018 and 2019 Roland Garros finals but both ended in losses against Rafael Nadal. For Alexander Zverev, this is the farthest berth he’s ever had in his career as he’s only been to the quarterfinals of the French Open.

This matchup will be the first between two players on a meteoric rise to the top. With either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic waiting for them in the finals, this can be a precedent of what the future holds for the sport.