Dominic Thiem will face Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final after beating Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(4).
Thiem twice before reached a Grand Slam final but he lost both against Rafael Nadal at the French Open.
He will get another shot at winning his first ever major tournament when he takes on Djokovic, who beat Roger Federer in his semi-final, on Sunday.
Zverev got off to the perfect start as he won the first three points of the match on Thiem’s serve. The Austrian saved the first two breakpoints but then put a backhand into the tram lines to fall behind.
The Austrian responded instantly by doing what not many others have been able to this past fortnight and stopped Zverev’s serve to break back at the first attempt.
World No 5 Zverev got another two breaks to take the first set 6-3 as Thiem fired a backhand into the net.
The second set was just as turbulent as Thiem got an early break and Zverev struck back in the sixth game with a huge slam at the net.
A neat volley from Thiem restored his advantage in the following game and he had the opportunity to serve for the set while leading 5-4.
But his German opponent upped the physicality and earned two breakpoints.
However, Thiem did not shy away from the fight as he clung in there before sealing the set with an ace.
When the play got back underway Thiem was the first to get the break for a 2-1 lead.
But Zverev struck back and they headed to a first tiebreak of the match.
Thiem won all three tiebreaks against world No 1 Nadal in the previous round and he dominated this one too, wrapping it up with a fine backhand winner.
Neither player had any breakpoints in the fourth set as they served their way to another tiebreak.
And Thiem continued his brilliant record as a couple of thumping forehand winners earned three match points – but he only needed two as a deft volley at the net sealed his place in the final.
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