Rafael Nadal defies pain and his father’s pleas to quit in epic win over Taylor Fritz

• Spaniard faces Kyrgios in semi after 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) win
• Nadal: The abdominal is not going well, it was not easy at all'

Taylor Fritz, 6ft 5in of towering American self-belief, did his best to bury a wounded legend here on Wednesday, but the 36-year-old Rafael Nadal would not stay down - against the advice of his worried father - and prevailed over five fluctuating sets to reach his eighth Wimbledon semi-final. He is a win against Nick Kyrgios away from the final - possibly for a 60th time against Novak Djokovic - and the chance to win his third grand slam title on the spin. What a year he's had.

Fritz almost had him in the fourth set but could not finish it and Nadal made him pay, winning 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) in 4hr 20min, the fourth-longest match of the championships.