by Kelvin Goodchild

The Rafa dream was extinguished last night by an on fire David Ferrer and the leg injury sustained by Rafael Nadal early in the first set of the all Spanish quarter-final last night.

The two matadors fought fiercely for the first three games of the first set, but with a grimacing look to his travelling entourage that spoke a thousand words, Nadal headed for a mysterious medical time out trailing 2-1, both players having broken the other once.

He returned with the top of his left leg strapped and a grim expression on his face.

The Manacor born left-hander played on but not at one hundred percent. The serve was slower, the number one seed seemingly restricted in reaching for the ball at its maximum height and protecting the left hamstring when stretching for ground strokes on his forehand side.

Aiming to be the first man to hold all four grand slams since Rod Laver in 1969, Rafa showed gutsy determination in continuing when he was obviously hobbled by the injury.

His serve increased in speed and his shots gradually recovered their venom over the course of the first set but, it was still not the Rafa we know and love out there on centre court.

In order to buy time and grab some cheap points the 24-year-old was employing the drop shot at times.

Ferrer, smelled blood, and, as much as it must have pained him to do so, was probing the forehand side of the court belting balls into that area to put pressure on the dodgy hamstring.

He showed little mercy for his friend and Davis Cup teammate and no one could blame him. This is professional sport and any weakness should be pounced upon; any advantage grabbed.

Ferrer is a natural grinder, not so much an aggressor, but was employing both philosophies with his customary relentlessness in order to take the first set before the wounded Nadal could heal.

A determined Nadal saved two set points with forehand volley but, it was not third time lucky as a third forehand went well wide over the side and the set was Ferrer’s, 6-4.

‘No. Always with Rafa I need to play very aggressive, no, because he's a very good player. He defends unbelievable. For to beat him, just I need to play very aggressive and maybe I lucky like today,’ Ferrer said.

‘It’s not easy because Rafael is a gentleman and he was playing injured and we are friends.

‘He was injured in the first set but I played my game, I fight a lot and sometimes it’s not easy.’

First set over and, that, as they say, was that. There was no miracle comeback for Nadal; no Phoenix rising from the flames of defeat. Even the mercurial Nadal could not fashion a victory on one good leg.

It was an unfortunate case of Déjà Vu for the nine-time grand slam champion, his 2011 loss coming on the exact same day - Australia Day – and at the exact same stage - quarter-finals - as his forced retirement due to a knee injury while playing Andy Murray, in 2010.

‘It's a difficult day for me,’ an ashen faced Nadal said afterwards. ‘Obviously I didn't feel at my best, I had a problem at the beginning and after that the match was almost over.

‘I hate retiring. I hated that last year and I didn't want to repeat that.’ he added.

We have seen tears of joy come from Roger Federer as he won the Australian Open in times past. Last night there were tears of a different kind as Rafael Nadal sat head in hands after Ferrer had raced to a 3-0 lead in the third set having already taken the first two.

The number one seed’s demise means there will be no dream semi-final quartet of Nadal, Federer, Murray and Djokovic as wished for by many Australian Open organisers, fans and critics.

Ferrer was confident in his countryman’s ability to bounce back from this latest injury woe, which will have all and sundry speculating again on the longevity of the man who is the youngest ever player to complete a career grand slam.

‘No. I think he can to win the next four Grand Slams, no? Rafael is the best three players of the history of tennis. He is a young player. He can do it.’

As for the man himself, he was keen to give the credit for the win to the winner.

‘I think he played at a very high level," Nadal said. I just congratulate him and wish him all the best for the semifinal...Seems like I always have problems when I lose, and I don't want to have this image.’

Ferrer had lost 11 out of 14 previous matches against Nadal including the last seven. The last time the seventh seed reached a grand slam semi-final was at the US Open in 2007 where he beat Nadal in the round of 16.

The 5’9” player, whose signature shot is the inside-out forehand, will now play number five seed Andy Murray.

He has a 3-2 winning record against the Scotsman but none of those wins have been on clay.

Murray hammered the Spaniard in the Barclays ATP Tour Finals in London last month.

‘Andy's different player like Rafa,’ he said. ‘But I need to play very, very focused, to receive really good because Andy, he has a very good first serve. It's very important for me return very good in the match. Andy, Roger and Rafael, they are very improving every year the game of them.’