Nadal in for tough match

NEW YORK — When Rafael Nadal finally finished a nearly five-hour climb into the U.S. Open semifinals, he thought backward as much as ahead.

His victory over Dominic Thiem reminded him of Wimbledon, where he outlasted Juan Martin del Potro in five sets in the quarterfinals before Novak Djokovic edged him in a 10-8 fifth set in the next round.

“When you win or when you lose like this,” Nadal said, “you come back home with the feeling that you did all the things that you can do.”

Now, Nadal might have to face those same two players again to defend his title in Flushing Meadows.

The top-ranked Spaniard plays third-seeded del Potro, and No. 6 seed Djokovic meets No. 21 Kei Nishikori in today’s other semifinal.

All four players have reached the U.S. Open final – only Nishikori hasn’t won it – to make this the first Grand Slam final four since the 2012 Australian Open in which all four players were past finalists.

Djokovic, bidding for his second straight major title, would seem to have the easier road to the final. He is 14-2 against Nishikori, including a victory in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. He has won the last 13 meetings, such a run of dominance that the Japan native didn’t recall that he beat Djokovic in Flushing Meadows in the 2014 semifinals, adding that maybe he should rewatch the match.

“Yeah, for sure it’s going to give me good confidence,” Nishikori said, “even though I (don’t) remember.”