Nadal powers way to U.S. Open men’s final
NEW YORK Rafael Nadal moved to the brink of a 19th career Grand Slam title on Friday by beating Matteo Berrettini 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-1 to reach the U.S. Open final.
Nadal put pressure on the underdog Italian’s serve from the start but Berrettini saved six break points to set up a first set tiebreaker.
Berrettini raced out to a 4-0 lead thanks to some uncharacteristically sloppy play from the Spaniard and the 23-year-old had two set points at 4-6.
But Berrettini suddenly got tight and Nadal took advantage, wearing him down in the extended baseline rallies and capturing the set when the Italian sent a forehand long for his 20th unforced error, leading Nadal to let out a roar.
Nadal broke Berrettini on his 10th opportunity to take a 4-3 lead in the second set and cruised to the finish, absorbing Berrettini’s powerful forehands and redirecting them to his weaker backhand side to see off the first time slam semifinalist.
Next up for Nadal is a showdown with big-serving Russian Daniil Medvedev, who was a straight sets winner over Grigor Dimitrov earlier in the day. The pair’s only previous meeting took place in the final of last month’s Rogers Cup in Montreal, where Nadal was a 6-3, 6-0 winner.
If Nadal wins the final he will be just one shy of Roger Federer’s record of 20 men’s Grand Slam titles.
After spending much of the U.S. Open playing the role of villain, the lanky Medvedev has tried to cast himself as a more fan-friendly figure, distancing himself from the gestures that turned the New York crowds against him.
Beating fan favourite Roger Federer in the quarter-finals did his cause no good, however, and despite his attempted makeover the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd let him know he still has some fences to mend.
With both men fighting for a spot in their first Grand Slam final, every point was contested as if a trophy were riding on it, particularly in a tense opening set that stretched to an hour before Medvedev snatched it in a tiebreak.
The second set produced more long, grinding rallies as the Russian and Bulgarian traded a pair of breaks before Medvedev landed the decisive blow to break Dimitrov and go 2-1 up.
Medvedev continued to relentlessly wear down the tiring Dimitrov in a third set that saw him earn a break at 3-1 to take a lead he would not surrender.