Del Potro, Djokovic in US Open finals
NEW YORK: Juan Martin del Potro set up a US Open final clash against Novak Djokovic on Friday (Saturday in Manila) after defending champion and world number one Rafael Nadal quit his last-four clash against the giant Argentine with a knee injury.
Third seed Del Potro, the champion in 2009, was 7-6 (3), 6-2 ahead when Nadal retired.
Del Potro will now face Djokovic, the 2011 and 2015 winner, who reached his eighth final at the tournament and 23rd of his Grand Slam career with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 stroll past Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
Djokovic boasts a 14-4 lead over Del Potro in a 10-year rivalry, including two wins without dropping a set at the US Open in 2007 and 2012.
Juan Martin del Potro returns the ball during his men’s singles semifinal match against Rafael Nadal in the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. AFP PHOTO
“We have never met in a Grand Slam final. I have tremendous respect for him as a person and a player. He’s a great guy,” said Djokovic who missed the 2017 tournament through injury.
“He’s had lots of injury problems in the past but he’s a big-match player.”
Nadal was devastated by having to pull out although he believes he hasn’t suffered any long-term damage.
“I hate to retire,” said Nadal, a player plagued by a series of knee injuries throughout his career.
He also retired trailing in the fifth set of his Australian Open quarterfinal against Marin Cilic in January.
“It’s not a tennis match when one is playing and the other is at the side of the court.”
Nadal, bidding for a fourth title in New York and 18th major, had spent the best part of 16 hours getting to the semi-finals.
That included almost five hours to defeat Dominic Thiem in an epic quarterfinal which stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The effort took its toll, with the Spaniard twice needing to have his right knee bandaged before calling it a day after the conclusion of the second set.
“Well of course it’s not the best way to win a match. I love to play against Rafa because he’s the biggest fighter in this sport and I don’t like to see him suffering,” said 29-year-old Del Potro who will be playing in his second Slam final.
“I am sad for him but I’m also happy to do my best.”
Nadal’s challenge looked doomed even as early as the first set, as he was feeling the injury after just four games, he admitted.
He needed his right knee strapped after the seventh game before gallantly fighting off two set points in the 10th game, breaking Del Potro who was serving for the set. But the Argentine swept through the tiebreaker, wrapping up the opener after 69 minutes of impressive shot making.
AFP
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