Nadal eyes final
Rafael Nadal meets Juan Martin del Potro in a U.S. Open men’s semifinal
There are those who will blame Juan Martin del Potro for spoiling the U.S. Open semifinal party they wanted between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
But tennis fans shouldn’t be surprised, or annoyed, that the
24th-seeded Argentine upset third-seeded Federer 7-5, 3-6,
7-6 (10-8), 6-4 under the convertible rooftop of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night.
The 28-year-old del Potro is a Grand Slam tournament champion. In fact, the only other time he played Federer in the U.S. Open was in 2009, when del Potro won a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5),
4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 final thriller to snatch his lone Grand Slam title.
To be assured, del Potro competes with heart and passion — it’s no wonder Federer described him after their match as “a lion.” Despite the fact del Potro’s been suffering from a fever and cold this week, he’s been the cornerstone of two of the more enthralling matches played.
Besides defeating Federer, del Potro left his sick bed Monday to upset sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria in a stunning five-set marathon. He came back from two sets down and saved two match points with aces to set up his quarterfinal with Federer.
“I think I’m recovering well,” said del Potro, after ending Federer’s dream of a third Grand Slam title this season. “I did what the doctor says, all the treatments, and tonight I play just free. I don’t have nothing to lose against Federer, so I did my best game of the tournament tonight. I play very smart game during the whole match.
“Is so important to me beating him (Federer) another time in this amazing tournament.”
For del Potro, playing champion-style tennis again is a blessing he had doubts he’d ever experience again because of recurring injuries.
In 2010, enjoying what remains his career-high ranking of No. 4, del Potro faced the first of his wrist problems and surgeries, on that occasion with his right wrist. He barely played during that 2010 season but was back on the court in 2011. In 2014, his left wrist stirred up further trouble.
Although del Potro’s always been able to rely on his massive forehand, he’s been tentative striking out with his backhand because of his history with wrist injuries. But he certainly found his range with the shot against Federer.
Del Potro confidently hit the cover off the ball off of both flanks but actually scored major points with the backhand, in particular using a sizzling backhand crosscourt return winner to break Federer’s serve in the fifth game of the fourth set.
“Tonight I made my best backhands of the tournament in the important moments of the match,” he said. “To break his serve in the fourth, and I hit my best backhand of the tournament tonight, which is a good
WEEKEND SCHEDULE Saturday
Women’s singles final, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday
Women’s doubles final, 1 p.m.
(ESPN2)
Men’s singles final, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Stephens advanced to her first Grand Slam tournament final, fighting off Venus Williams
6-1, 0-6, 7-5 in their U.S. Open semifinal Thursday night. The
24-year-old will play the winner of the later semifinal between Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe. All four women’s semifinalists are American, the first time it’s happened at this tournament since 1981. Stephens is unseeded at the U.S. Open after taking time off for a stress fracture in her left foot that required surgery. She is ranked No. 83 in the world because of the injury layoff. Williams, 37, was seeking a trip to her third Grand Slam final this season.
signal for the future.”
The son of a former semipro rugby player who became a veterinarian, del Potro hasn’t been without his sentimental times since his U.S. Open victory. He’s won two Olympic medals — bronze in 2012 and silver in 2016 — with the latter run producing an emotional first-round upset over then world No. 1 Novak Djokovic that left both men in tears.
While Federer fans might be feeling slighted by the lack of his presence in the semifinals, the 19time Grand Slam champion made it clear after his loss he wasn’t performing well enough to merit a semifinal appointment.
“Of course it is a pity, but, you know, Juan Martin deserves it more,” Federer said. “I feel I have no place in the semis, and he will have a better chance to beat Rafa, to be honest. The way I played or am playing right now, it’s not good enough in my opinion to win this tournament. It’s better I’m out and somebody else gets a chance to do better than me.”
The past is the past, so now the attention turns to whether del Potro can stop Nadal from journeying into the final to face either Kevin Anderson or Pablo Carreno Busta. On Thursday afternoon, the two semifinal combatants practiced side by side, and when Nadal finished he was seen casting a scouting eye over at the adjacent court.
“Juan Martin is a top player,” Nadal said. “Is true that when he’s playing well, it’s difficult to stop him. Probably the forehand is maybe the fastest on the tour.”
As for del Potro, he understands the weighty task in front of him. He also knows that while Nadal leads their previous match encounters 8-5, he’s had success against the Spanish sensation in the U.S. Open.