Madrid Open: Thiem stuns Nadal in quarter-finals

Rafael Nadal suffered a shock 7-5 6-3 defeat by Austrian Dominic Thiem in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Friday, a result which means he will lose the world number one ranking.

Thiem, who lost to Nadal in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals last month, was the last player to beat the Spaniard on clay — at last year’s Rome Masters.

The Spaniard had set a record of winning 50 consecutive sets on a single surface by beating Argentine Diego Schwartzman on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Thiem broke Madrid title-holder Nadal’s serve five times before sealing victory with a powerful cross-court winner in just under two hours.

The Austrian, seeded fifth, will face South African Kevin Anderson in the semi-finals on Saturday.