Final target
> Weary Nadal set for Del Potro barrage as Djokovic eyes Nishikori revenge <
WORLD NO. 1 and defending champion Rafael Nadal will put his weary body on the line against a merciless Juan Martin del Potro today with a place in the US Open final at stake.
Nadal, the three-time champion, faces 2009 winner Del Potro and is two wins from clinching an 18th Grand Slam title.
That would be just two behind Roger Federer and with an 11-5 career head-to-head advantage over the giant Argentine, he would usually be a comfortable favourite.
But this has been an unpredictable US Open with Federer knocked out by Australian world No. 55 John Millman in the fourth round and Nadal coming close to joining his greatest rival at the exit door.
Whoever gets through today will have yet another major challenge on their hands in Sunday’s final where either Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori will await.
The 32-year-old Nadal needed four hours and 49 minutes to get past Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 76 (7-5) in an epic quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Now, in his seventh semifinal at the US Open, Nadal is braced for another marathon with Del Potro, the third seed.
In July, Nadal came back from two sets to one down to beat Del Potro in the Wimbledon quarterfinals after four hours and 48 minutes.
A month earlier, Nadal had cruised past del Potro in straight sets in the semifinals at Roland Garros on his way to an 11th title in Paris.
“It will be a very tough one. Juan Martin is a great player everywhere,” said Nadal who will be playing in a seventh semifnal in New York.
“But the challenge of playing him on hard of course is even higher for me personally than playing against him on clay.”
Nadal has been on court at this US Open just six minutes short of 16 hours.
Del Potro has unleashed 66 aces and spent three and a half hours fewer on court than Nadal.
“It could be another big battle just as at Wimbledon,” said Del Potro.
“I like to play always with the No. 1 of the world, doesn’t matter the tournament or the conditions or the weather.”
Meanwhile, two-time US Open champion Djokovic will be playing in his 11th consecutive semifinal in New York after he ended John Millman’s fairytale run yesterday, beating the 55thranked Australian in straight sets.
“Very tested,” said Djokovic, who admitted that like many he was surprised to find himself facing Millman, not Federer, across the net yesterday.
“But Millman is the kind of a player that makes you miss the balls, makes you win the point, earn the point. He doesn’t miss a lot himself, so he just runs left, right, gets a lot of balls.
“Tactically, you’ve got to find the right balance between being patient but constructive in the point, but at the same time, be aggressive and take the chance when you have a shorter ball. It’s easier said than done.”
The 31-year-old Serb holds a 14-2 advantage over Nishikori including wins at Wimbledon and Rome this year.
However, one of Nishikori’s wins came in the semifinals in New York in 2014 when the Japanese star finished runnerup to Marin Cilic.
“When Kei is on, he’s a topfive, top-10 player,” said Djokovic.
“He has a great two-handed backhand, great footwork and is one of the quickest players on tour.” – AFP/Reuters