Rafael Nadal has beaten Milos Raonic to reach the Australian Open semi-finals, returning to the last four at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since winning the 2014 French Open. The Spaniard joined Roger Federer in the last four, keeping alive the prospect of a dream final between the two great rivals who have claimed 31 grand slam titles between them.
Serena Williams remains on course for her 23rd grand slam title by beating Britain's Johanna Konta and reaching her eighth Australian Open semi-finals. Her sister Venus continues her astonishing late-career revival by beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her first Australian Open semi-final in 14 years and becoming the oldest woman to reach the last four in Melbourne in the professional era. IBTimes UK presents the best photos of the action.
16 January 2017: Andy Murray of Great Britain serves in his first round match against Illya Marchenko of the Ukraine on day one of the 2017 Australian OpenCameron Spencer/Getty Images16 January 2017: Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia plays a forehand during her first-round match against Nao Hibino of Japan on day one of the 2017 Australian OpenScott Barbour/Getty Images16 January 2017: Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia serves in her first-round match against Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia on day one of the 2017 Australian OpenMark Kolbe/Getty Images16 January 2017: Coco Vandeweghe of the US seeks medical attention due to the heat in her first-round match against Roberta Vinci of Italy on day one of the 2017 Australian OpenQuinn Rooney/Getty Images16 January 2017: Venus Williams of the US puts a towel filled with ice around her neck during her women's singles first-round match against Ukraine's Kateryna KozlovaThomas Peter/Reuters16 January 2017: Japan's Kei Nishikori puts an ice pack on his head during his men's singles first-round match against Russia's Andrey KuznetsovIssei Kato/Reuters16 January 2017: Australia's Nick Kyrgios receives medical treatment during his men's singles first-round match against Portugal's Gastao EliasIssei Kato/Reuters17 January 2017: Serena Williams of the US serves during her women's singles first-round match against Switzerland's Belinda BencicJason Reed/Reuters17 January 2017: Dustin Brown of Germany serves in his first-round match against Milos Raonic of Canada on day two of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images17 January 2017: Fernando Verdasco of Spain plays a forehand in his first-round match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on day two of the 2017 Australian OpenMark Kolbe/Getty Images17 January 2017: Alexander Zverev of Germany misses a shot in his first-round match against Robin Haase of the Netherlands on day two of the 2017 Australian OpenRyan Pierse/Getty Images17 January 2017: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates victory in his first-round match against Fernando Verdasco of Spain on day two of the 2017 Australian OpenMark Kolbe/Getty Images17 January 2017: Spain's Rafael Nadal sweats as he prepares to serve during his men's singles first-round match against Germany's Florian MayerJason Reed/Reuters18 January 2017: Andy Murray of Great Britain holds his ankle after he fell over in his second-round match against Andrey Rublev of Russia on day three of the 2017 Australian OpenQuinn Rooney/Getty Images18 January 2017: Julia Gorges of Germany serves in her second-round match against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia on day three of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images19 January 2017: Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a backhand in his second-round match against Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan on day four of the 2017 Australian OpenScott Barbour/Getty Images19 January 2017: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts in his second-round match against Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan on day four of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images19 January 2017: Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia celebrates winning her second-round match against Su-Wei Hsieh of Chinese Taipei on day four of the 2017 Australian OpenMark Kolbe/Getty Images19 January 2017: Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria serves in his second-round match against Hyeon Chung of Korea on day four of the 2017 Australian OpenRyan Pierse/Getty Images19 January 2017: Spain's Rafael Nadal throws his towel during his men's singles second-round match against Cyprus' Marcos BaghdatisJason Reed/Reuters19 January 2017: France's Gael Monfils hits a shot during his men's singles second-round match against Ukraine's Alexandr DolgopolovThomas Peter/Reuters20 January 2017: Dan Evans of Great Britain celebrates match point in his third-round match against Bernard Tomic of Australia in MelbourneDarrian Traynor/Getty Images20 January 2017: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada serves in her third-round match against Coco Vandeweghe of the US on day five of the 2017 Australian OpenMark Kolbe/Getty Images21 January 2017: Spain's Rafael Nadal signs autographs after winning his men's singles third-round match against Germany's Alexander Zverev during the Australian Open Thomas Peter/Reuters21 January 2017: Alexander Zverev of Germany serves in his third-round match against Rafael Nadal of Spain on day six of the 2017 Australian OpenQuinn Rooney/Getty Images22 January 2017: A general view of Rod Laver court as Roger Federer of Switzerland plays in his fourth-round match against Kei Nishikori of Japan on day seven of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images22 January 2017: Kei Nishikori of Japan receives treatment from the physio during an injury time out in his fourth-round match against Roger Federer of Switzerland on day seven of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images22 January 2017: Japan's Kei Nishikori covers himself with a towel during his men's singles fourth-round match against Switzerland's Roger FedererThomas Peter/Reuters22 January 2017: Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates winning his men's singles fourth-round match against Japan's Kei NishikoriJason Reed/Reuters22 January 2017: Andy Murray of Great Britain serves in his fourth-round match against Mischa Zverev of Germany on day seven of the 2017 Australian OpenMichael Dodge/Getty Images22 January 2017: The shadow of Andy Murray of Great Britain is seen as he serves in his fourth-round match against Mischa Zverev of Germany on day seven of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images22 January 2017: Germany's Mischa Zverev hits a return against Britain's Andy Murray during their men's singles fourth-round match on day seven of the Australian OpenGreg Wood/AFP22 January 2017: Andy Murray of Great Britain is silhouetted as he serves in his fourth-round match against Mischa Zverev of Germany on day seven of the 2017 Australian OpenScott Barbour/Getty Images22 January 2017: Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova throws her racket during her women's singles fourth-round match against Russia's Anastasia PavlyuchenkovaEdgar Su/Reuters23 January 2017: Gael Monfils of France leaps in the air to play a smash shot in his fourth-round match against Rafael Nadal of Spain on day eight of the 2017 Australian OpenScott Barbour/Getty Images23 January 2017: Sweat drips from Spain's Rafael Nadal during his men's singles fourth-round match against France's Gael MonfilsIssei Kato/Reuters23 January 2017: Sweat drips from a shirt belonging to Spain's Rafael Nadal during his men's singles fourth-round match against France's Gael MonfilsIssei Kato/Reuters23 January 2017: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates match point and winning his fourth-round match against Gael Monfils of France on day eight of the 2017 Australian OpenScott Barbour/Getty Images23 January 2017: Spain's Rafael Nadal consoles France's Gael Monfils after winning their men's singles fourth-round matchIssei Kato/Reuters23 January 2017: Austria's Dominic Thiem reacts during his men's singles fourth-round match against Belgium's David GoffinThomas Peter/Reuters23 January 2017: Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic falls over in her fourth-round match against Serena Williams of the US on day eight of the 2017 Australian OpenCameron Spencer/Getty Images23 January 2017: Serena Williams of the US serves in her fourth-round match against Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic on day eight of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images23 January 2017: Serena Williams of the US looks on after winning her fourth-round match against Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic on day eight of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images24 January 2017: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France looks on in his quarter-final match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland on day nine of the 2017 Australian OpenClive Brunskill/Getty Images24 January 2017: France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga prepares to serve during his men's singles quarter-final match against Switzerland's Stan WawrinkaJason Reed/Reuters24 January 2017: Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka hits a return against France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during their men's singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Australian OpenSaeed Khan/AFP24 January 2017: Coco Vandeweghe of the US serves in her quarter-final match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain on day nine of the 2017 Australian OpenQuinn Rooney/Getty Images24 January 2017: Venus Williams of the US prepares to serve during her women's singles quarter-final match against Russia's Anastasia PavlyuchenkovaEdgar Su/Reuters25 January 2017: Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova serves during her women's singles quarter-final match against Croatia's Mirjana Lucic-BaroniJason Reed/Reuters25 January 2017: Serena Williams of the US prepares to serve during her women's singles quarter-final match against Britain's Johanna KontaJason Reed/Reuters25 January 2017: Serena Williams of the US celebrates her victory against Britain's Johanna Konta in their women's singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian OpenSaeed Khan/AFP25 January 2017: Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov serves during his men's singles quarter-final match against Belgium's David GoffinJason Reed/Reuters25 January 2017: A bird flies past as Canada's Milos Raonic serves during his men's singles quarter-final match against Spain's Rafael NadalJason Reed/Reuters25 January 2017: Ball boys offer towel to Spain's Rafael Nadal in his game against Canada's Milos Raonic during their men's singles quarter-final match on day 10 of the Australian OpenPaul Crock/AFP25 January 2017: A moth lands on the nose of Spain's Rafael Nadal during his quarter-final match against Canada's Milos Raonic during the Australian OpenReuters25 January 2017: Canada's Milos Raonic reacts during his men's singles quarter-final match against Spain's Rafael NadalThomas Peter/Reuters25 January 2017: Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during his men's singles quarter-final match against Canada's Milos RaonicIssei Kato/Reuters
