Rafael Nadal held his nerve to break his great rival Roger Federer in the last game of their semifinal Thursday and take the match 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-4, for a place in Sunday's Australian Open final.
The Spaniard, who downed Federer in the 2009 Melbourne final, came back from a knife-edge first set that Federer took on a tie break, and though drained found an extra ounce of effort to kill the match in the fourth set. The may turn out to be decisive come the final against Britain's Andy Murray or top seed Novak Djokovic.
"Two Sundays ago I really couldn't imagine being in the final. It's a dream to be here," Nadal said courtside.
Nadal takes his record against the Swiss former world No. 1 to 19 wins and seven defeats.
Murray and Djokovic face off Friday.
Earlier in the day Maria Sharapova beat Petra Kvitova in a gritty three-set semifinal 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a final with Victoria Azarenka, the Belarusian third seed making her grand slam final debut.
Russia's fourth seed, looking for revenge after succumbing to the Czech in a rollercoaster Wimbledon final last year, battled through with surging ground strokes despite a misfiring serve.
