Djokovic, del Potro flush the field

Vets to clash for U.S. Open title

Novak Djokovic NEW YORK served impeccably and used his usual brand of courtcovering defence to reach his record-tying eighth U.S. Open final by beating Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Djokovic missed the tournament last year because of an injured right elbow that eventually required surgery. But he is back to his best as he bids for his third title at Flushing Meadows and 14th Grand Slam trophy overall.

He will face 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro in Sunday’s final.

Del Potro advanced when defending champion Rafael Nadal retired from their semifinal Friday because of a painful right knee after dropping the opening two sets. Nadal is the first man to retire from a semifinal or final at the U.S. Open since the professional era began in 1968.

It means del Potro is back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since winning the 2009 title at Flushing Meadows.

“That was not a tennis match at the end. Just one player playing, the other staying on one side of the court,” Nadal said. “I hate to retire, but staying one more set out there, playing like this, would be too much for me.”

Del Potro was leading 7-6 (3), 6-2 after two hours of play when Nadal shook his head and said he had to stop.

“Of course, it’s not the best way to win a match,” said del Potro, who hugged Nadal when it was over. “I don’t like to see him suffering on court today. So I’m sad for him.”

The No. 1-seeded Nadal has a history of tendinitis in his knees and he has often cited that when withdrawing from tournaments. He was visited by a trainer at the changeover after the match’s seventh game and tape was applied below the joint.

At the next changeover, though, Nadal pulled off the tape.

After the third game of the second set, he had a medical timeout so the trainer could massage his right leg and once again apply tape.

But Nadal’s movement was clearly limited and by the end he was walking with a bit of a hitch in his gait between points. At one juncture, he approached the chair umpire to complain about a late call from a line judge and mentioned in passing that he was going to have to quit. Soon enough, he did just that.

Nadal said he didn’t know what kind of effects might have been lingering from his quarter-final victory over Dominic Thiem, which lasted nearly five hours, but he had a knee issue earlier in the tournament and had it taped in the third round.

For del Potro, it was an odd way to return to an important summit. Nine years ago, he stunned Nadal in the semifinals, then Roger Federer in the final to win the U.S. Open at 20. He was considered a rising star at the time, but a series of wrist operations — one on his right arm, three on his left — slowed his career and kept him out of 2½ years’ worth of major tournaments.

He has returned to the height of his powers and the height of his sport, up to a career-best No. 3 in the rankings.

“It means a lot to me,” del Potro said. “I didn’t expect to get in another Grand Slam final.”