体坛英语资讯：Nadal out, Murray, Zvonareva, Clijsters advance

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal on Wednesday shockingly crashed out of the tournament, while Andy Murray, Vera Zvonareva and Kim Clijsters continue their battle into semi finals of Australian Open.

Biggest favorite Nadal was defeated by 7th seed Spanish David Ferrer 4-6, 2-6, 3-6 in two hours and 33 minutes to ends his "Rafa Slam" bid to collect his 4th straight Grand Slam title to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam.

Nadal called for medical timeout after three games in first set due to an upper leg hamstring injury or back injury. When he returned, his body language to his coach in the players box was not good. Despite receiving treatment after the fifth game, he lost the first set 6-4.

Nadal then played poorly in the second and third set, as he looks to have difficulties running and moving side to side of the court.

"It's not easy because Rafa is a gentleman and he was playing with [an] injury and we are friendly," Ferrer, a fellow Spaniard and Davis Cup teammate of Nadal's, told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.

"I got lucky because he was injured in the first set, but I did my game and I fight a lot...his injury, sometimes it's not easy."

After the game, Nadal said crashing out of the tournament is difficult for him, and he refused to anything about the injury.

Nadal said he thinks Ferrer played at a very high level. He congratulate him and wish him all the best for the semifinal.

"I think he's doing a fantastic tournament. If he keep playing like this, he going to have a good chances," Nadal told reporters.

Nadal's most recent loss in the quarterfinals of a major was at last year's Australian Open, when he retired from his game against Andy Murray due to a right knee injury.

This is Ferrer' s first time to reach semi-finals in Australian Open. He will next meet Fifth seed Andy Murray on Friday.

Meanwhile, fifth seed Andy Murray battled pass unseeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, and reached the semifinals of Australian Open for the second consecutive year.

British Murray, who is still chasing his first major title, won 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 in three hours and six minutes to set up a semi-final date with Ferrer.

Although ranking as world No. 46, Dolgopolov did not play bad and has gave Murray pressure throughout the match. The Ukrainian had knocked out world No.4 Robin Soderling in the previous round, and on Wednesday became the first player this year to keep Murray on court for more than two hours.

"It was very tough, every point was different, he hits, just different," Murray told reporters in Melbourne after the match.

"He came back at me well in the third set, but I did well in the end. I had to go for my shots a little bit more, I was a little bit tentative in the tiebreak, so went for my shots a bit more and that settled me down. It was a tough match, and a good one to get through."

"Physically I'm doing well on the court, but I'm going to need it a little bit more in the next match."

In women's draw, Second seed Russian Zvonareva, a finalist at the past two Grand Slam events - Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, on Wednesday took control of the match capitalizing on the nerves of her opponent, Czech No.25 seed Petra Kvitova, to win 6-2 6-4 in just 75 minutes.

Third seed Clijsters also comfortably banished Polish No.12 Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3 7-6 (7-4).

Zvonareva will face a tight game against Clijsters in the semis finals.

"I have to make sure I prepare myself well for the match, I don't over train, I stay fresh, stay focused on that match," Zvonareva told reporters in Melbourne. "I definitely will try to take positives from those matches when I beat her and try to think over again, okay, why I lost so quickly in the final, just try to avoid those moments."