Rafael Nadal has come from behind to overcome Tomas Berdych in a classic and book a blockbuster Australia Day clash with great rival Roger Federer for a spot in Sunday's Australian Open final.
In a match of immense class, with the tennis played arguably of a higher standard than any before it so far at Melbourne Park this year, Spanish No.2 seed Nadal overcame dropping the first set to gradually wear down his seventh-seeded Czech opponent 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 6-3.
But he didn't have it all his own way and had to hustle for virtually every point throughout a contest that lasted four hours and 16 minutes and was only completed as the clock ticked over to midnight local time.
The victory also makes Nadal just the fourth man in tennis history to reach the semi-finals at least four times at all of the four majors, after Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi and of course Federer.
Berdych actually hit more winners with 66 to Nadal's 57 but the Spaniard didn't give away near as many unforced errors with just 30 to his opponent's 56, and Berdych will be left to rue his failure to convert a set point in the second-set tie-breaker.
The result was in stark contrast to Federer's comfortable progression earlier in the day against Argentine No.11 seed Juan Martin del Potro, the Swiss third seed easing through 6-4 6-3 6-2 in 119 minutes to be the only man left at the tournament yet to drop a set.
Of course his advance to the semi-finals was aided in the second round when Federer, who has triumphed four times at Melbourne Park, didn't even have to take to the court when a lower back injury forced Slovakian Karol Beck to forfeit.
Federer will be far fresher for the match, having spent only seven hours and 38 minutes on court compared with Nadal's 12 hours and 51 minutes, but Nadal will take a 19-9 win-loss record into the rematch of the 2009 Melbourne Park decider.
Berdych began in an aggressive mood as he looked to take it up to Nadal at every opportunity and should have taken the first set when he reduced Nadal to 0-40 on serve in the 12th game and failed to cash in on any of four set points.
But while Nadal seemed to be in control at 5-3 in the tie-breaker Berdych reversed the momentum, forcing a mistake, smashing a backhand winner and then taking advantage of a distracted Nadal when a shot appeared long but wasn't called out, before firing down an ace to take the set.
After recovering from 15-40 in the first game of the second set, Nadal grabbed the first break of the match in the fourth game but when he served for it in the ninth game gave it back and then squandered a set point in the 12th game as another tie-breaker was required.
Nadal opened up a 4-1 lead in the tie-breaker only for Berdych to hit back by winning five of the next six points and earn a set point for a two-sets-to-love lead but camped at the net he pushed his backhand volley wide, and two points later the match was back on level terms.
The third set was another arm wrestle as Nadal dropped his opening service game but won it straight back and then went