Compiled By NAN Sports Editor
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Sept. 7, 2018: All eyes are now on number the three seed, Latin American tennis star, Juan Martin del Potro, as he goes into the semi-finals of the US Open today.
Argentina’s Del Potro is now just one of four men left standing in the competition after blasting his way through the quarter-finals Tuesday and over the US’ John Isner in four set.
Today, del Potro will face Spain’s Rafael Nadal, a three-time champion in New York and the world #1, who he will have to go through to book a spot in the finals. Nadal and del Potro have met 16 times in a head-to-head that the Spaniard leads 11-5.
They have met in two US Open semifinals, with del Potro winning 6-2 6-2 6-2 in 2009 and Nadal 4-6 6-0 6-2 6-3 last year. They have also clashed twice already this year, in the semifinals at Roland Garros where Nadal dominated to win 6-4 6-1 6-2 and in a thriller in the Wimbledon quarterfinals that Nadal just edged 7-5 6-7 4-6 6-4 6-3.
But nine years ago, the 20-year-old del Potro vanquished Roger Federer, then 28, in the U.S. Open men’s singles final to win his first Open. The question on many of his fans mind, is can he do it again? We will have to wait and see how he fares today. The most important shot in determining the outcome of this match will be del Potro’s forehand and his speed. Anything Nadal leaves short will be punished by the Argentine.
Match time for this showdown today is 4 p.m. EST.
