RAFAEL NADAL TO FACE KEVIN ANDERSON IN US OPEN FINAL
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain and Kevin Anderson of South Africa defeated their respective opponents to enter the men’s singles final of the US Open tennis tournament here.
Nadal fought back from one set down to claim a 4-6, 6-0, 63, 6-2 win against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina here on Friday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.
Anderson, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal earlier on Friday, defeated Pablo Carreno-Busta of Spain 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.
The 31-year-old Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion of the US Open, will be playing in his 23rd Slam final and third this season, looking to claim the 16th Grand Slam crown on Sunday.
“I have had an amazing season after some tough moments with injuries in recent years,” Nadal said.
“It’s a very emotional year for me. I am in the final again and get the chance to fight for another title which is very important,” he added.
Anderson is the first South African to advance this far at Flushing Meadows since compatriot Cliff Drysdale in 1965.
“I have worked very hard to get here. It feels great to be in the stage I’m in,” Anderson said.
“I’ve given myself a shot at being in the finals, and I’ll be playing for a grand slam trophy. That’s an amazing feeling,” he added.
Despite a 4-0 winning record over Anderson, Nadal said he has to get ready for the upcoming duel.
“He is a very dangerous player with a big serve and plays very well on this surface. I have known him since we were 12,” Nadal said. In the men’s doubles final, Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands/Horia Tecau of Romania defeated Spaniards Feliciano Lopez/Marc Lopez 6-4, 6-3 for the title.
It is the climax of a 10match winning run for the duo, who came into the US Open on the back of their 15th team title at the Winston-Salem Open. They have only dropped two sets during that period.
“The key to the whole thing is you need to communicate and be out there and fight together. These are pressurepacked situations. We’ve had a great two weeks. We played well in all the matches and we did so again today,” Rojer said after the match.
KEVIN ANDERSON is the first South African to advance this far at Flushing Meadows since compatriot Cliff Drysdale in 1965