Federer US Open quest ended by Del Potro
Nadal stays top
NEW YORK, Sept 7, (AFP): Juan Martin del Potro sensationally gatecrashed the US Open again on Wednesday, stunning five-champion Roger Federer and shattering hopes of a first New York showdown between the Swiss legend and Rafael Nadal.
The Argentine giant, who won his only Grand Slam title in the city in 2009 by beating Federer in the final after seeing off Nadal in the semis, triumphed 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 in front of a spellbound Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
The 28-year-old will once again face world number one Nadal in the semifinals on Friday, a stunning achievement for a man who had saved two match points to beat sixth seed Dominic Thiem
Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a shot against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina during their Men’s singles quarter-final match on Day Ten of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sept 6, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (AFP)
in the last 16.
Nadal, who will keep his world number one status following third seed Federer’s exit, had earlier defeated Russian teenager Andrey Rublev 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in just 97 minutes.
It will be a sixth US Open semifinal for Nadal and 26th at the majors while Del Potro, the 24th seed, will be playing in just his fourth last-four match at the Slams.
For 36-year-old Federer, it was a first Slam loss of 2017 after he had captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles to take his career tally to 19.
“I served really good. I hit my forehand as hard as I could and I played a great match. I deserved to win,” said Del Potro who will be in his first Slam semifinal since Wimbledon in 2013.
“This feels like my home court. I played Rafa here in 2009 too. Hopefully I can get the same result on Friday.”
Del Potro, whose career was almost ended last year after undergoing four wrist surgeries, wrapped up the first set thanks to a break in the 11th game secured with a blistering crosscourt pass.
Federer, who had a 16-5 winning record over Del Potro ahead of the quarter-final, levelled the tie after breaking for a 3-1 lead in the second.
However, the match turned in the third set tiebreak when Del Potro saved four set points before a weary and error-riddled Federer dropped serve again to trail 3-2 in the fourth.
Victory was Del Potro’s eight minutes short of three hours with a deep forehand as Federer was left to survey the wreckage of 41 unforced errors.
“It’s hard to explain, I didn’t play that badly,” said Federer.
“I just ran into a guy who was better on the bigger points. I don’t deserve to still be in the tournament.”
Nadal will take an 8-5 record over Del Potro into the semifinal where the winner will face either Kevin Anderson or Pablo Carreno Busta for the title.
“Juan Martin is a top player. When he’s playing well, it’s difficult to stop him. Probably the forehand is maybe the fastest on the tour,” said Nadal,
Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina returns a shot against Roger Federer of Switzerland during their Men’s singles quarter-final match on Day Ten of the 2017 US
Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sept 6, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (AFP)
who is chasing his second major of the year to add to his French Open.
Rublev, bidding to be the youngest man in 17 years to reach the semifinals, had no complaints over his loss to Nadal.
“He gave me a lesson: 1, 2, and 2,” said the Russian, who lost 16 of the last 19 points of the opening set and finished with 43 unforced errors.
Karolina Pliskova’s eight-week run as world number one ended Wednesday with a US Open quarter-final loss, the Czech standout saying nothing has changed for her after so short a reign.
Top seed Pliskova, last year’s US Open runner-up, fell 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to US 20th seed CoCo Vandeweghe, missing another chance to capture her first Grand Slam title.
“I don’t care. I don’t think something is going to change if you are number two. I don’t see any difference between this. So for me, no changes,” Pliskova said.
“I was there for a few weeks. Maybe if you are there for one year, it’s different. But like this, not.”
Being among the number ones without a Slam crown to show for it in her career isn’t a criticism Pliskova takes to heart.