Australian Open 2022: Ash Barty Sets Up Semis Clash With Madison Keys; Rafael Nadal To Face Matteo Berrettini

In-form Madison Keys cruised into her second Australian Open semi-finals after beating French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3 6-2. Former World No 7 Keys will be playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2018 French Open.

In the second singles quarter-final of the day, 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal won the first two sets of his match against Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

However, Shapovalov roared back to take the third and fourth set against Nadal who was struggling with a stomach injury.

Nadal recovered and broke the Canadian in the second game of the final set to clinch the match 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 and reach his seventh Australian Open semi-final.

World No 1 and two-time Grand Slam winner Ashleigh Barty romped to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Jessica Pegula to reach the semi-final. Barty will take on Keys for a place in the Australian Open final.

World No 7 Matteo Berrettini took on 17th seed Gaël Monfils in a cracking quarter-final match up. Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up, comfortably won the first two sets.

Backed by a vociferous crowd, Monfils came back strongly in the match to clinch the next two sets to force a decider.

Berrettini held his nerves in the final set to beat Monfils 6-4 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-2 and become the first Italian man to reach the Australian Open semi-finals. Berrettini will face Nadal for a place in the Australian Open final.