Nadal powers into U.S. Open semifinals
After missing last year’s tournament with an injury, he’s back better than ever
NEW YORK — It’s as though Rafael Nadal never left. If anything, he’s playing better than ever.
A year after skipping the U.S. Open because of a bad knee, Nadal powered his way back to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, overwhelming 19thseeded Tommy Robredo 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 Wednesday night.
“I think I played my best match at the U.S. Open this year. Great to be able to play your best match in the quarterfinals,” said Nadal. “Playing a little better every day is a great feeling.”
The second-seeded Nadal improved to 20-0 on hard courts in 2013, part of an overall record of 58-3 with nine titles, including his record eighth championship at the French Open in June. At the next Grand Slam tournament, though, Nadal flopped, exiting in the first round at Wimbledon.
“Playing a little better every day is a great feeling”
— Rafael Nadal
That surprising defeat, against a guy ranked 135th, came on June 24. Feels like eons ago. Nadal hasn’t lost a match to anyone since. His 12 major trophies include the 2010 U.S. Open and he has reached at least the semifinals the past five times he entered the tournament. Nadal did not come to New York in 2012, part of about a seven-month absence due mainly to a left knee problem.
On Saturday, Nadal will face No. 8 Richard Gasquet, who edged No. 4 David Ferrer 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3.
That one took nearly 31/2 hours and was filled with plenty of ebbs and flows, allowing Gasquet to reach his first major semifinal in six years.
Now Nadal becomes Gasquet’s problem. They’ve played 10 times on tour and Nadal has won all 10.
“Last time I beat him, I was 13,” Gasquet said, referring to a junior match he looked up on YouTube. “It was a long time ago.”
When Nadal was told about that, he smiled broadly.
“Yeah, I think I lost 6-4 in the third,” said Nadal. “Yeah, I remember.”
The other two men’s quarter-finals are Thursday, with No. 1 Novak Djokovic against No. 21 Mikhail Youzhny and No. 3 Andy Murray against No. 9 Stanislas Wawrinka. Murray beat Djokovic in last year’s U.S. Open final.
In the women’s semifinals Friday, No. 1 Serena Williams faces No. 5 Li Na and No. 2 Victoria Azarenka plays unseeded Flavia Pennetta.
In the mixed doubles semifinal, Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic and Max Mirnyi of Belarus defeated Toronto’s Daniel Nestor and France’s Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 6-7 (4), 12-10.