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He's one of the best servers in history, especially here in the altitude, it bounces high and it's so difficult to return
Dominic Thiem on John Isner
MADRID: Dominic Thiem came from a set down to beat John Isner and reach the semifinals of the Madrid Open on Friday.
The Austrian could face 13-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the last four after recovering against Isner to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Nadal plays fifth seed Alexander Zverev in his quarterfinal later on Friday.
A showdown between Thiem and Nadal would be a repeat of the 2018 and 2019 French Open finals, both of which were won by Nadal.
Zverev, meanwhile, was on the losing side in the final when Thiem clinched his first grand slam title at last year's US Open, when he beat the German in five sets.
The world number four will be one of Nadal's fiercest challengers at Roland Garros next month and if he meets the Spaniard in Madrid, it will be taken as an early gauge of his credentials.
After twice finishing as runner-up in Madrid, Thiem will be hoping to go one step further this year but he is in the tougher half of the draw.
In the other quarterfinals, the unseeded pair of Alexander Bublik and Casper Ruud will face off to meet either eighth seed Matteo Berrettini or 16th seed Cristian Garin in the semis.
The 36-year-old Isner has never been at his most comfortable on clay but he caught Thiem cold at the Caja Magica by breaking early to claim the opening set.
But Thiem ripped a forehand pass to open up a break opportunity at 3-2 in the second, which he took when Isner hit the net with a volley.
Thiem was reading Isner's serve better by the time the match went to a decider but it was not until 4-4 that he struck again, when he chased down three Isner volleys to serve for victory.
He closed out, a forehand volley securing victory in just under two hours.
"He's one of the best servers in history, especially here in the altitude, it bounces high and it's so difficult to return," said Thiem afterwards.
"To start with a break down is almost like losing the first set but I stayed focused, kept a good fighting spirit. Very few points decide that kind of game and that's how I turned things around in the second set."
SABALENKA SETS UP BARTY FINAL
On Thursday, Aryna Sabalenka set up a title-clash with world number one Ash Barty.
Barty swatted aside Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-3 exacting a revenge for her shock loss to the Spanish wildcard last month.
The Australian has advanced to her maiden Madrid final and will meet Sabalenka, who cruised past Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-3 in the second semifinal.
Barty, who lost to Badosa in the quarterfinals in Charleston, struck 30 winners in an immaculate display that extended her winning run on clay to 16 matches.
Sabalenka needed just over an hour to beat Pavlyuchenkova as the Belarusian improved her 2021 win-loss record to 23-6.
Saturday's Madrid decider will be a rematch of last month's Stuttgart final when Barty roared back to win 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. -- Agencies
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