Del Potro dispatches Nadal in Open semifinals
Del Potro Reaches First Grand Slam Final
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Photos: Del Potro wins 2009 U.S. Open
For Rafael Nadal to be playing on the second Sunday of the U.S. Open would have sounded like the best of news, for Nadal and network television executives eager for an eighth Nadal-Roger Federer major final.
Except that rain delays had changed the day from the men's championship session to the semifinals. And, once again, Nadal didn't survive that - the seventh straight year he was beaten in Flushing Meadows before the championship.
Argentina's 20-year-old Juan Martin del Potro, considered by much of the tennis world to be the Next New Thing, got rid of Nadal in straight sets Sunday, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. So, Nadal-Federer aficionados aside, at least del Potro had what he called "part of my dream, you know. I'm very close to it, but this moment is so nice, and I always dreamed of this moment."
Seeded No. 6, del Potro has worked his way through the tournament with obvious joy, proclaiming the Open to be his favorite tournament, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center hard courts to be his favorite surface, and the New York crowds to be "lovely."
A tall and rangy 6-6, del Potro more than matched Nadal's ground stroke game, driving Nadal deeper and deeper behind the baseline and chasing him side to side. "I saw Rafa in the baseline," he said, "but too far away on the baseline. That's important for me to come to the net and to do a short point."
Del Potro allowed Nadal only five break-point chances in the match - and won them all, and Nadal's serve teetered constantly, giving del Potro 16 break-point opportunities, six of which he converted. "He was much better than me today," Nadal said, "and I congratulate him."
Nadal repeatedly insisted that he did not want to use a strained abdomen as an excuse, but he did acknowledge discomfort and spoke of how "this year was not very lucky year for me. A lot of bad things happen."
Ranked No. 1 at the beginning of 2009 and adding a sixth major title to his resume at the Australian Open in January, he was upset at the French Open by Robin Soderling and missed Wimbledon with knee tendinitis, slipping to No. 3 in the rankings.
He said the stomach problem had cropped up in Montreal upon his return to the tour and might have been the result of rushing his comeback, "but I don't have any option, because the calendar says that. The Open is one of the most important tournaments of the year, and I had to try, no? I am very happy how I came back.
"In general, I am very happy. Today, well, sure, I can't be very happy."
