Nadal beats Berdych, sets up semi against Federer

[January 24, 2012]  MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Rafael Nadal will meet Roger Federer in the Australian Open semifinals after coming back to beat No. 7 Tomas Berdych 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday night.

No. 2-ranked Nadal and No. 3-ranked Federer are on the same half of the draw at a major for the first time since 2005.

Federer beat U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro earlier in three sets to advance to the Australian Open semis for the ninth consecutive year. He has won four of his 16 Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park.

Nadal won the Australian title in 2009, but lost in the quarterfinals in 2010 and '11.

It was Nadal's 10th consecutive win over Berdych, a sequence including the 2010 Wimbledon final.

[Associated Press]

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