World No.5 David Ferrer has kept his Australian Open hopes a live by winning a five-set thriller against fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.
Almagro served for the game three times but in an extraordinary turn around Ferrer fought back to take the match 4-6 4-6 7-5 7-6 6-2.
"I try to fight every point, every game," said Ferrer. "I know all the players, in important moments, we are nervous. I know that. I try to do my best. Today I was close to losing, for sure.
"I think the tie-break of the fourth set I played very good. And in the fifth, he was cramping, problems with his leg, so it was easier for me."
Ferrer will face either Novak Djokovic or Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals in Melbourne.
Almagro was on the verge of advancing into his first grand slam semi-final when serving at 6-4 6-4 5-4, but the world number 11 failed to close it out, and then missed to more chances in the fourth set.
Ferrer won his first tie-break in 14 attempts at Melbourne Park and, with Almagro requiring treatment for cramp ahead of the decider, there was little prospect of a fourth look at the finish line.
When Almagro was broken for the second time in the set, he smiled and tapped his opponent on the knee as they passed at the changeover, knowing the game was up.
"I don't want to think that it's a mentality problem," said Almagro. "If I have a mentality problem, I think I didn't win the first two sets."
"I don't know what's wrong," he said. "I think I played a really good match. It was close. It was a great battle. At the end it was really tough because I just started to feel some things at 4 3 in the third set on my ankle and on my adductor.
"After that it was really tough and he started to play better and better, and he is the winner."
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