When the U.S. Open draw revealed itself almost exactly two weeks ago, it had the cruel idea to pit Rafael Nadal against Roger Federer in the semifinals instead of the final. Juan Martin Del Potro had other ideas.
It will be Nadal against Del Potro, instead, after the Argentine upset Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 during quarterfinal action on Wednesday night. The two former champions of this event will be facing each other for the 14th time in their careers on Friday when they battle for a place in the title match. Nadal leads the head-to-head series 8-5, but Del Potro is 5-4 against the current world No. 1 on hard courts.
They have squared off only once since the end of 2013, with Del Potro prevailing 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the semifinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics on his way to the silver medal. Perhaps their most memorable–but also more in infamous than famous–encounter came at the same stage of this same tournament in 2009, when Del Potro destroyed Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 and then stunned Federer in five sets to capture his first and only Grand Slam title.
Given the circumstances, a return trip to the U.S. Open final would be even more improbable–and not just because Del Potro no longer has the same backhand he once wielded prior to multiple left-wrist surgeries. The world No. 28 was all but left for dead earlier this fortnight when an illness plagued him in his fourth-rounder against Dominic Thiem and led to losses of 6-1 and 6-2 in the first two sets. Later saying that he refused to retire only because he did not want to disappoint his throng of supporters, Del Potro found another gear and eventually triumphed 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 in hard-to-believe fashion.
The former world No. 4 preceded that result with routine defeats of Henri Laaksonen, Adrian Menendez-Maceiras, and Roberto Bautista and followed it up by ousting Federer in an entertaining but not exactly a classic four-setter. Del Potro fought off four set points in the third-set tiebreaker against Federer, eventually took it 10-8, and promptly took complete control in the fourth.
Nadal’s trouble at this event came in rounds two and three, when he trailed Taro Daniel by a set and a break and Leonardo Mayer by a set and 15-40 early in the second. The top-seeded Spaniard eventually won both of those contests in four. He also coasted past Dusan Lajovic, Alexandr Dolgopolov, and Andrey Rublev while saving six of his best sets for last–hammering Dolgopolov 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 and Rublev 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
“He’s the No. 1 player of the world and he’s playing so confident this tournament,” Del Potro assessed. “He’s a lefty, so he has (a) chance to find easily my backhand. So I don’t know what’s gonna be my strategy for that match. But for sure I will try to make winners with my forehands and don’t run too much, because my legs are tired. (It) will be (an) interesting match to play.”
“When he’s playing well, it’s difficult to stop him,” Nadal said of Del Potro. “Probably the forehand is maybe the fastest on the tour. If he [is serving] well and [hitting] well his forehand, he’s a player that [has] the chance to win against, of course, everybody. I have to play my best tennis. I need to be very focused with my serve and play aggressive, because if you let him play from good positions with his forehand, you are dead.
“I need to play against his backhand, and then open the court, no?”
Yes, that is correct. Del Potro’s backhand came up big at crucial moments against Federer, but it will be under attack on a consistent basis from Nadal’s heavy topspin. The underdog will have no choice but to come over it with two hands more often than not. It’s a shot that can still be effective but is prone to break down when it comes to this post-surgery, not-as-healthy version of Del Potro. And when the deuce court is open, perhaps no one in the sport–except maybe Del Potro, himself–has a better inside-out forehand than Nadal.
This has been an energy-sapping fortnight both physically and emotionally for Del Potro, so the end may be near.
Pick: Nadal in 4
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Very gingerly there from delpo after that BH. He may have re-injured something here. Still 30-30.
Rafa’s level has dropped somewhat, as expected. Still hitting the ball very aggressively though! Just missing a bit now.
The ESPN commies said they think Delpo
may have done something to his hip.
Delpo is fine! He is always dangerous…Rafa should not be fooled..,he must not lose focus! Rafa should not stay away from attacking Delpo’s FH! He must move Delpo around…
Nny…if he’s done something to his hip,i wonder why he still not call for the trainer for treatment or something?
MA,
I don’t know. He may just be tired with all the matches catching up to him and Rafa pushing him physically.
Rafa really has to stay focused here.
Yeah!agree with you Nny!…Like my answer to u up there,he’s more tired in his head than physically…and if Rafa keep pushing him like the last 2 sets…i don’t think he has a chance to come back in this match…
why is rafa playing tight on BPs..both BPs early on and now he did he same
Nadal stats after set 1:
23 winners, 4 UE…
Oh god..this is horrible
lol silly miss from Rafa there but he is OWNING the court right now. The depth on his returns and shots is ridiculous.
Delpo needs to hold and serve first in the 4th otherwise its definitely over.
damn Rafa will get broken now
Nice serve & volley , 15-15
Sanju, no, I think he will close it out.
Nadal is class, beautiful backhand volley
Delpo UNLEASHING his forehand.
Yep, Rafa’s tight at the moment. Needs some good serving to close this one out.
YESSSS!!WOOOOHOOOO!!….2 1 now!!C’mon Rafa!!1 more set please!!!
Reporting from ashe. One more set rafans! Hang in there. Hope delpo does not get a second wind. Woooo hoo. Neat lawnmower at the end?
wow! Enjoy vmk!!
So, what did I keep saying about Rafa’s second serve?? He has won 71% of them tonight. I knew he would be formidable on 2nd serves as soon as his forehand gets consistent.
Totally agree with Natashao.
Rafa’s shouldn’t be fooled. Delpo may be wary but he has huge reserves of energy and he can start playing at a high level any time.
I think Rafa played a very agggressive 3rd set. He made mistakes, but he has just put Delpo on the run all the time. He has been really aggressive, has been going for his shots. His ROS is very very aggressive. Rafa has got broken only once where he was unlucky twice. Otherwise he would have not even have lost a set. Should close this out in 4th now.
Rafa needs to be careful here. Dont go to DelPo’s FH even with aggressive BH CC.
Agreed. Delpo really going for his forehand DTL so damn flat.
Delpo serving first is massive. Losing 6:0 and letting Nadal serve first in the 4rd cost him the 3rd set.
Rafa is sensing it now. He went for that break of serve.
Rafa is too smart to let up on Delpo. He knows better.
Delpo slices are prize meal for Rafa. Against Fed, he could force fed to hit a slice and have a go at his inside out forehand but this is such different patterns.