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Del Potro too strong for Nadal at US Open

Roar Rookie
13th September, 2009
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Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro wrecked Rafael Nadal’s US Open title aspirations with a bludgeoning 6-2 6-2 6-2 victory in the semi-finals on Sunday.

The giant sixth seed was simply too powerful for the Spanish third seed, who could not match the big-hitting from the other side of the net in his effort to win the US Open for the first time.

Del Potro, who turns 21 next week, will play either title-holder and top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland or fourth seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia in Monday’s final.

“This is the best moment of my life,” he said.

“I was so focussed every moment because Rafa is a great player and can run for five or six hours.

“I am not that strong, but I did my best and I am in the final.”

Nadal, who endured his worst defeat in a Grand Slam tournament, said that he had been playing well early in the year before running into injury problems with his knees and then a stomach muscle strain.

“I had problems with serve and then to deal with a player like this, playing unbelievable tennis,” he said.

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Nadal, in only his second US Open semi-final, was out to become just the seventh player to complete a career Grand Slam of the four major titles having already won the French Open four times and Wimbledon and the Australian Open once each.

The 23-year-old from the Mediterranan island of Mallorca was in line to follow Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi and Federer, who completed the set at the French Open in June.

Del Potro, who turns 21 on September 23, is the first South American US Open finalist since Guillermo Vilas won the title in 1977.

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