No Roger-Rafa clash
Del Potro survives past Federer in QF
NEW YORK — There will be no U.S. Open matchup between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal this year.
Federer's 18-match Grand Slam winning streak ended with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4 quarterfinal loss to Juan Martin del Potro.
The result prevented Federer and Nadal from meeting in the semifinals, which would have been their first head-to-head showdown at Flushing Meadows.
It's the only major tournament where the longtime rivals have never faced each other.
Instead, it will be 2009 champion del Potro against two-time winner Nadal in Friday's semifinals.
The other semifinal is Pablo Carreno Busta against Kevin Anderson.
Juan Martin del Potro has taken a two-setsto-one lead over Roger Federer in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
Del Potro is ahead 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8) as they head to the fourth set.
Federer held four set points in the tiebreaker but failed to convert any. On del Potro's first chance to close the third set, Federer sailed a backhand volley long.
The winner will face No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals Friday.
The U.S. Open is the only Grand Slam tournament where Federer and Nadal have never played each other.
Federer and del Potro have split the first two sets of their U.S. Open quarterfinal.
Del Potro converted the only break point of the opener and took it 7-5. Federer grabbed the second set 6-3.AP