Djokovic rolls into final
Nadal can’t finish his semi
NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic served impeccably and used his usual brand of court-covering defense to reach his recordtying eighth U.S. Open final by beating Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 last night.
Djokovic missed the tournament last year because of an injured right elbow that eventually required surgery. But he is back to his best as he bids for his third title at Flushing Meadows and 14th Grand Slam trophy overall.
He will face 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro in tomorrow’s final.
Del Potro advanced when defending champion Rafael Nadal retired from their semifinal because of a painful right knee after dropping the opening two sets. Nadal is the first man to retire from a semifinal or final at the U.S. Open since the professional era began in 1968.
Del Potro was leading 7-6 (3), 6-2 after two hours of play when Nadal shook his head and said he had to stop.
“That was not a tennis match at the end. Just one player playing, the other staying on one side of the court,” Nadal said. “I hate to retire, but staying one more set out there, playing like this, would be too much for me.”
The No. 1-seeded Nadal has a history of tendinitis in his knees and he said he felt a problem in the right one early in the first set. He was visited by a trainer at the changeover after the match’s seventh game and tape was applied below the joint.
At the next changeover, though, Nadal pulled off the tape. After the third game of the second set, he had a medical timeout so the trainer could massage his right leg and once again apply tape.
But Nadal’s movement was clearly limited and by the end he was walking with a bit of a hitch in his gait between points. At one juncture, he approached the chair umpire to complain about a late call from a line judge and mentioned in passing that he was going to have to quit. Soon enough, he did just that.
“Of course, it’s not the best way to win a match,” said del Potro, who hugged Nadal when it was over. “I don’t like to see him suffering on court today. So I’m sad for him.”
For del Potro, it was an odd way to return to an important summit. Nine years ago, he stunned Nadal in the semifinals and Roger Federer in the final at the U.S. Open at age 20. He was considered a rising star at the time, but a series of wrist operations — one on his dominant right arm, and three on his left — slowed his career and kept him out of 21⁄2 years’ worth of major tournaments. He has returned to the height of his powers and the height of his sport, up to a careerbest No. 3 in the rankings.
“It means a lot to me,” del Potro said. “I didn’t expect to get in another Grand Slam final.”
Also, Mike Bryan won his record-setting 18th Grand Slam doubles title and his second straight with Jack Sock, beating Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo 6-3, 6-1.
Bryan won his first 16 majors with twin brother Bob, who then was sidelined with a hip injury. Mike paired with Sock and they won Wimbledon in their second event together.
Mike Bryan broke a tie for most major doubles titles with John Newcombe, and at 40 years, 4 months became the oldest Grand Slam doubles champion in the pro era. Six of his titles, also a record, have come at the U.S. Open.