<p> Rafael Nadal set up an Australian Open final against his great rival Roger Federer after edging Grigor Dimitrov in a classic five-set semi-final which stretched for nearly five hours on Friday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Nadal pulled off one of his greatest victories in denying Bulgaria's Dimitrov, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 in four hours and 56 minutes in front of a rocking Rod Laver Arena crowd.<br /><br />Nadal showed his incredible fighting qualities to claw back from 0-30 down in the ninth game of the final set to break Dimitrov's serve with two tremendous chases to put away the winning volley to lead 5-4.<br /><br />Dimitrov bravely saved two match points as Nadal served out for the match before the Spaniard clinched victory, sinking to his knees in relief and jubilation.<br /><br />Nadal said it was a "privilege" to face Federer in their ninth final, and first since the 2011 French Open.<br /><br />"It's a very special thing, I think for both of us to be in the final of a major again and have another chance to compete with each other again after a couple of years having some problems," he said.<br /><br />"I think both of us never thought we were going to be here again in the final of the Australian Open."<br /><br />Nadal, who downed Federer in the 2009 final, won through to his fourth Australian Open final and his 21st Grand Slam final. He leads Federer 6-2 in their major finals.<br /><br />The 30-year-old Spaniard has been out of the Grand Slam limelight since his last title success at Roland Garros in 2014, as injuries sidetracked his glorious career.<br /><br />Nadal is bidding to win his second Australian Open title and become the first man in the Open Era -- and only the third man in history -i to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice.<br /><br />Nadal and Dimitrov played each other to a standstill in Friday's epic, with two tiebreakers going either way in a semi-final that ran well past midnight.<br /><br />Federer, who beat fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in Thursday's first semi-final, was watching on with relish as his rival in Sunday's final was taken the distance in a draining physical battle.<br /><br />The last time both men's semi-finals went to five sets at any Slam was at 2009 Roland Garros, when Federer beat Juan Martin del Potro and Robin Soderling defeated Fernando Gonzalez. <br /></p>
<p> Rafael Nadal set up an Australian Open final against his great rival Roger Federer after edging Grigor Dimitrov in a classic five-set semi-final which stretched for nearly five hours on Friday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Nadal pulled off one of his greatest victories in denying Bulgaria's Dimitrov, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 in four hours and 56 minutes in front of a rocking Rod Laver Arena crowd.<br /><br />Nadal showed his incredible fighting qualities to claw back from 0-30 down in the ninth game of the final set to break Dimitrov's serve with two tremendous chases to put away the winning volley to lead 5-4.<br /><br />Dimitrov bravely saved two match points as Nadal served out for the match before the Spaniard clinched victory, sinking to his knees in relief and jubilation.<br /><br />Nadal said it was a "privilege" to face Federer in their ninth final, and first since the 2011 French Open.<br /><br />"It's a very special thing, I think for both of us to be in the final of a major again and have another chance to compete with each other again after a couple of years having some problems," he said.<br /><br />"I think both of us never thought we were going to be here again in the final of the Australian Open."<br /><br />Nadal, who downed Federer in the 2009 final, won through to his fourth Australian Open final and his 21st Grand Slam final. He leads Federer 6-2 in their major finals.<br /><br />The 30-year-old Spaniard has been out of the Grand Slam limelight since his last title success at Roland Garros in 2014, as injuries sidetracked his glorious career.<br /><br />Nadal is bidding to win his second Australian Open title and become the first man in the Open Era -- and only the third man in history -i to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice.<br /><br />Nadal and Dimitrov played each other to a standstill in Friday's epic, with two tiebreakers going either way in a semi-final that ran well past midnight.<br /><br />Federer, who beat fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in Thursday's first semi-final, was watching on with relish as his rival in Sunday's final was taken the distance in a draining physical battle.<br /><br />The last time both men's semi-finals went to five sets at any Slam was at 2009 Roland Garros, when Federer beat Juan Martin del Potro and Robin Soderling defeated Fernando Gonzalez. <br /></p>