How long was Nadal's 2009 Australian Open semifinal against Fernando Verdasco?

Nadal’s 2009 Australian Open semifinal against Fernando Verdasco lasted 5 hours 14 minutes.

The all-Spanish semifinal was played at Melbourne Park on 30 January 2009. Nadal, the world No. 1 and top seed, eventually defeated the 14th-seeded Verdasco 6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–7, 6–4. The five-set struggle was, at the time, the longest match in Australian Open history.

It was remarkable not only for its duration but also for its quality and closeness. Verdasco hit 95 winners, while Nadal won by only one point overall—193 points to 192. The match ended after 1 a.m., leaving Nadal with little recovery time before his final against Roger Federer two days later.

The semifinal is sometimes confused with the 2009 Australian Open final, which Nadal won over Federer in 4 hours 22 minutes. It was also later surpassed as the tournament’s longest match, but 5 hours 14 minutes remains the canonical duration of this famous Nadal–Verdasco semifinal.