(CNN)22 Grand Slam Champion Rafael Nadal lasted longer than 11-seeded Taylor Fritz, 3-6 7-5 3 -6 7 -5 7-6 (10-4) Wednesday with 5 sets of thrillers at Wimbledon's Center Court.
The match started well for the Spaniards as they defeated their American opponent's serve early in the first set. However, Fritz responded by playing five consecutive games to make the first set 6-3.
Fritz went up to 4-3 in the second set, so a trainer was called on the court to evaluate the two Wimbledon champions. He eventually used the medical time out and left the courtroom for treatment. Despite these difficulties, Nadaru won 7-5 in the final match, tied the match in one set each and roared to take second place.
After comfortably spending the third set 6-3, Fritz took a 5-4 lead in the fourth set and Nadaru was on the verge of victory by extending the match.
Nadaru did just that, winning the next three games and forcing a decisive fifth set.
Fifth, both players were tied 4-4 and Nadaru extended the match before 24-year-old Fritz found a 5-4 lead again. Famous for what he did over and over again, the Spaniards grinded another game, pulling levels 5-5 each, and eventually forced a tiebreaker in the match.
From there, Nadaru jumped past Fritz to a 5-0 lead and won a tiebreaker 10-4.
"I'm fine overall, but of course something isn't working in my abdomen ... I had to find a way to provide a slightly different service. For a while I Maybe I couldn't finish the match I was thinking of, but that's because the energy of the court is different, "Nadal said in an interview on the court.
With the victory, Nadaru will improve to 8-0 in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, becoming the third man in the open era to reach the Wimbledon singles semifinals over the age of 36.
Fatigue forced Nadaru to withdraw from Wimbledon in 2021 and is holding a record 23rd Men's Singles Grand Slam title and a third bid at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
In another men's quarterfinal match on Wednesday, Australia's Nick Kyrgios defeated Chilean Christian Garin in a straight set 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in a grand slam. I advanced to the semi-finals. For the first time in his career. The 27-year-old will also be an Australian male player who made it to the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in 17 years.
"I never thought I would go to the Grand Slam semifinals. To be honest, I thought the ship had set sail. Obviously, great early in my career. Didn't. You might have wasted that little window, but you know, (I) I'm back here and back with my team just to do the performance I'm really proud of the way I've done it, "Kyrgios said after the match.
Nadaru will play in the semi-finals against Kyrgios on the center court on Friday.
