Australian Open 2017: Results, Highlights, Friday Scores Recap from Melbourne

Rafael Nadal set up a momentous final clash with long-term adversary Roger Federer as he downed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4 in a gruelling semi-final at the 2017 Australian Open on Friday. 

Having been pegged back twice by the Bulgarian after taking the first and third sets, Nadal broke at the crucial time in the fifth and deciding set before serving out to claim victory after four hours and 56 minutes of mesmerising action in Melbourne. 

The Australian Open provided the moment Nadal sealed a momentous win:

Nadal was last in a Grand Slam final when he won the 2014 French Open. The 30-year-old Spaniard will face Federer, 35, for the eighth time in a major final.

Per Nick Harris of Sporting Intelligence, there is a distinctly retro feel to both the men's and women's finals at this year's Australian Open:

In the opening set it looked as though Nadal could make easy work of world No. 15 Dimitrov, 25.

He broke for 3-1 and took advantage of a number of Dimitrov errors to see out the set, per the New York Times' Ben Rothenberg:

"

Again, forced errors tell the story early on here.

Winners/forced errors/unforced errors

Nadal: 8/8/4
Dimitrov: 15/17/8#AusOpen

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 27, 2017"

However, the second set was a different story altogether. Dimitrov broke the world No. 9 for a 3-1 lead before double-faulting in the seventh game to hand the break back.

A handful of Nadal errors then saw Dimitrov break again to serve for the set at 5-3, but he could not complete the job and the Spaniard was back in it. 

At 5-4 and Nadal serving, the 14-time Grand Slam winner was forced to save four set points to finally draw level again at 5-5.

Impressively from Dimitrov, though, despite missing numerous opportunities, he held his nerve at 6-5 ahead to break Nadal again and seal a messy set as his opponent went long, per tennis commentator David Law:

A mammoth 70-minute third set then ensued with each player earning a break apiece early on before reaching a tiebreak.

Nadal's experience and defence proved the difference as he exploited Dimitrov's forehand to move within a set of the final.

However, after exchanging six holds apiece without conceding a break point between them to force a tiebreak again in the fourth set, it was Dimitrov who prevailed to see the match into a decider, per BBC 5 live Sport:

The serves of both men remained unbreakable in the fifth despite numerous early opportunities until Nadal pounced at arguably the perfect moment, edging 5-4 ahead to serve for the match.

The brilliant Dimitrov saved one match point, and then another, but Nadal sealed his place in Sunday's final at the third opportunity when his opponent finally cracked and went long.