On Friday, Rafael Nadal will face Juan Martin del Potro for a spot in the US Open final.
The Argentine defeated Roger Federer in four sets. His victory means Fedal will end another year having never played each other in New York.
Rafa is now also guaranteed to keep hold of the number one ranking ahead of Federer.
Date: 8 September 2017
Match time: NOT BEFORE 5:30 PM EDT – New York, Montreal / 10:30 PM BST – United Kingdom / 11:30 PM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Saturday 7:30 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on facing Delpo:
If I play against him, of course 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, because he plays super-aggressive, hitting so hard.
So probably he’s unstoppable from that positions, no? I need to play long, I need to play against his backhand, and then open the court.
Delpo on facing Rafa:
Well I played him in 2009 too, the same as Roger, and hopefully I can achieve the same result.
We look older but Rafa is playing a great season. He’s No. 1 in the world but with this amazing support, everything can happen.
Rafa leads the big man from Tandil 8-5 over their careers, but they haven’t played this season. Delpo has won their past two meetings and in 2009 he beat Rafa 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the US Open semi-finals. Here are all the matches they have played against each other:
| YEAR | EVENT | SURFACE | RND | WINNER | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games Brazil |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Juan Martin del Potro |
57 64 765 |
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai China |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Juan Martin del Potro |
62 64 |
| 2013 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal |
46 63 64 |
| 2011 | ESP vs.ARG DC Final Spain |
RR | Rafael Nadal |
16 64 61 760 |
|
| 2011 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
766 36 764 64 |
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
W/O |
| 2011 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Rafael Nadal |
64 64 |
| 2009 | US Open NY, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | SF | Juan Martin del Potro |
62 62 62 |
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada Canada |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Juan Martin del Potro |
765 61 |
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Juan Martin del Potro |
64 36 763 |
| 2009 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells CA, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Rafael Nadal |
62 64 |
| 2007 | London / Queen’s Club Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R32 | Rafael Nadal |
64 64 |
| 2007 | Roland Garros France |
Outdoor Clay | R128 | Rafael Nadal |
75 63 62 |
| 2007 | ATP Masters Series Miami FL, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
60 64 |
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
I’m so loving it. Rafa definitely realised “It’s now or never.”
I’m so jealous with the crowd out there. 😭
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CLASSY BAGEL & THE TOASTER IS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) : ) SOLID EVERYTHING SWEETHEART & SO INCREDIBLY REWARDING TO WATCH YOU FIGHT & PLAY YOUR MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) 🙂 : ) YOU ARE SO SPECIAL WITH YOUR SHARP RETURNS & DETERMINATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) 🙂 LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ): ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE A TRUE CHAMPION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : )
After seeing sloane stephens get bagelled last night and then get into the final – it doesnt really mean that much. But for rafa this will massively help his confidence which means a lot.
Yeah! Tasty bagel! What a turnaround. Rafa shouldn’t let his guard down. DelPo is just conserving his energy for the third.
Kill him, destroy him…go for it..time to decimate jmdp…
There’s no mistaking your feelings Amberoxx! 😀😀😀
Don’t you just love New York Bagels, Delicious Lol.
3 SPs!!
Scary Rafa!
I JUMPED!
6-0 2nd set for Rafa!
💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻😍
ci…….ci…….ci…..& BIG HAPPY CI……..VAMOS CHAMP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) VERY VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) 🙂 GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) YOU ARE GLIDING & REACHING & SPEEDY & MAGICAL AT THE NET & SERVING SOLID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE SO FIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) LOVE THE DARK GRAY OUTFIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
5-0 Rafa
As expected, DP can’t goaing forever. Once Rafa realises his mistakes and steps up, he knows he’s got some thinking to do besides unloading that rocket.
Sorry, “can’t go on goating forever”.
Rafa playing like the world no1 now. I love it. 2nd set is surely in the bag. Please dont let it slip in the 3rd set rafa!!!
DOUBLE BEAUTIFUL FEISTY BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) RAFA YOU ROCK and LEADING 4:0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ); ) : ) : )
Rafa you’ve got this! Keep it going!
4-0 2nd set!
That’s Rafa for you!
DP being rattled now.
YES , keep it up Rafa.
That’s more like it. I love it. Rafa’s fixing his mistakes in the 1st set, going for his shots and putting pressure back on DP.
Damp him down.
CROWD LOVES YOU RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU HEAR ALL THE CHEERS NOW THAT YOU BROKE d serve and LEADING 2:0 2nd set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂 : ) !!!!!!!!!!! VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE SO GREAT OUT THERE……KEEP GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) 🙂 : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU & ADMIRE YOUR FIESTY AGGRESSIVE PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) 🙂
That’s more like it Rafa!
Nice one rafa. Keep going
yes nadal has broken del potro. Stay calm rafa dont play the score or the opponent play the ball an important lesson of federer
YESS!!!!!
Rafa breaks!
Now pls don’t blink and consolidate! Vamos! 💪🏻💪🏻