Nadal, Djokovic one win from renewing rivalry in New York
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[September 07, 2018]
By Frank Pingue
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Defending U.S.
Open champion Rafael Nadal and twice winner Novak Djokovic are one
victory away from renewing their rivalry in the final with both
expected to get through their semis on Friday.
World number one Nadal faces big-serving Argentine third seed Juan
Martin del Potro while sixth seed Novak Djokovic meets Japanese 21st
seed Kei Nishikori bidding to secure a seventh trip to the showcase
match at Flushing Meadows.
Nadal, who survived a grueling late-night battle with Austrian
Dominic Thiem in punishing humidity to reach the last four, has a
commanding 11-5 career record against Del Potro with his last loss
coming in the semis at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Spaniard, who beat Del Potro this year in the French Open
semi-finals and Wimbledon quarter-finals, has looked nothing short
of brilliant but is not about to get ahead of himself as the pair
have split their 10 meetings on hard courts.
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"He (Del Potro) is a great player everywhere. But the challenge of
playing him on hard (courts) of course is even higher for me
personally than playing against him on clay," said Nadal, who has
three U.S. Opens among his 17 Grand Slam titles.
"It will be a big challenge. It's a match in which we know each
other very well. I know he's playing well. I know I'll have to play
at my highest level to keep having chances of success."
Del Potro will rely heavily on his service having won 83 percent of
his first service points through five matches here, well above
anyone else remaining in the men's draw.
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![](../images/090718pics/sports67.jpg)
Rafael Nadal of Spain is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia
(L) after his victory in their men's final match at the U.S. Open
tennis championships in New York, September 9, 2013. REUTERS/Mike
Segar
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In Friday's other semi-final, Djokovic will try to extend the form
that has seen him win 24 of his last 26 matches, an impressive run
that includes titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open tune-up event in
Cincinnati.
He has a 14-2 record against Nishikori, whose last victory over the
Serb came in the 2014 U.S. Open semi-finals before he lost in the
showpiece match to Croatian Marin Cilic, who the Japanese overcame
in five sets to reach this year's last four.
Djokovic, who beat Nishikori in the Wimbledon quarters, said he
expected a tough match against an opponent with a lethal two-handed
backhand who is one of the fastest players on tour.
"I can't really say he's a great match-up for me," said the Serb. "I
have a very good head-to-head score against him. But because he
plays so fast he makes me more alert from the first point because I
know I have to be at my best in order to compete with him from the
baseline."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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