Thiem eliminates Nadal from Australian Open in 4-set thriller

Top seed Rafael Nadal was booted from the Australian Open on Wednesday after succumbing to a typically powerful performance from Dominic Thiem.

The Austrian underdog won 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) in Melbourne to reach the tournament's final four. The gripping encounter lasted four hours and 10 minutes.

Thiem will now face Germany's Alexander Zverev, another first-time semifinalist at the competition, on Friday.

The 26-year-old could have made life easier for himself had he seen out his service game at 5-4 in the fourth set, but nerves appeared to set in as he coughed up three unforced errors and a double fault.

"I just wanted to stay in the match, then I got a break and had a special situation serving for the match," Thiem said after the win, according to BBC Sport.

"It was a mentally tough situation and I couldn't handle it, but I turned it around in the tie-breaker."

Thiem triumphed in the third tie-break of the match.

Nadal's loss means he remains one behind Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slams. The graceful Swiss can improve his tally in Australia but will have to trump Novak Djokovic in Thursday's semifinal before potentially taking on Thiem or Zverev in Sunday's final.