Rafael Nadal will meet Roger Federer in the Australian Open 2009 men's singles final. Getty Images

It took the last game of the match to separate the Spaniards in a semi-final of the highest quality.

The match ending cruelly for Verdasco on a double fault to gift Nadal passage past the semis at Melbourne Park for the first time.

The tone was set early.

It took 22 games for the first service break and 21 games for the first double-fault.

Verdasco used a little luck to win the first set tie-break. A net cord dropped on Nadal's side to bring up set point and Verdasco took advantage.

Nadal used a little genius to win the second set, a freakish forehand passing shot from back, wide and on his heels helping him break his countryman's serve.

When the top seed broke Verdasco in his opening service game of the third, Nadal looked set to steamroll the 24-year-old who had never been this far in a grand slam - and never past the second round in Melbourne.

But Verdasco lifted where others in this tournament have laid down to be speedbumps for the world's best player, who had not dropped a set at Melbourne Park this year until this match.

Verdasco broke back immediately, and when Nadal broke him again to go 4-2 up, once more he clawed back to square things up.

Nadal steamed to a 7-2 win in the tie-break, but still the world No.1 couldn't shake his countryman from his rear-view mirror.

Both players held serve throughout the fourth set to force yet another tie-break, before it was Verdasco's turn to dominate, reeling off five winners to win it 7-1 and force a deciding fifth set.

But even though he produced 95 winners for the match, it still wasn't enough to roll Nadal, who must now find a speedy road to recovery before facing up to Federer.

"Right now I feel happy more than tired. It was amazing to play this match," Nadal said after the epic.