In what could be one of the most entertaining matches of this year’s US Open, two former champions go head-to-head as Roger Federer faces Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from around 10:30am (AEST).
Fans were less than impressed when the draw came out, showing Federer and Nadal on the same side, meaning they could only clash in the semi-final.
However, we are still on track for that match. While Nadal will have played his match against Andrey Rublev by the time you are reading this, at the time of writing, if Nadal beats Rublev and Federer gets past Del Potro, they will book that semi-final on Friday evening (Saturday morning AEST).
Of course, Federer getting past Del Potro is less than assured. The Argentinian was in the fight of his life during the quarter-finals, after breezing his way through the first three rounds of the tournament.
Following wins over Henri Laaksonen, Adrian Menendez-Maceiras and Roberto Bautista Agut, all in straight sets, he took on the sixth seed Dominic Thiem.
It looked like it was all over for Del Potro as well, who was battling illness and found himself down 6-1 6-2. The turnaround was dramatic though as he discovered a burst of energy, taking the third set 6-1.
His serve and forehand continued firing into the fourth set, and he then held his nerve to win a tense tiebreaker, sending the match to an unexpected fifth set.
It looked like he was cooked in the fifth set as well, struggling to get the better of Thiem, but he eventually did so and took it 6-4.
A special performance doesn’t even begin to describe exactly how good the comeback was, and he will look to use the form and momentum to roll Federer.
Federer himself had a shaky start to the final grand slam of the year, taking five sets to get past Frances Tiafoe and Mikhail Youzhny.
He has hit his stride since though, blasting past two seeded players in Feliciano Lopez and Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets. He barely raised an effort in either match, his serve against Kohlschreiber being particularly impressive.
It’s not the biggest serve on tour, but it’s accurate and he will be constantly at Del Potro, who will have enough trouble holding his own serve, let alone breaking that of Federer’s.
Consistency might as well be Federer’s middle name, so it could well come down to a few points. If Del Potro lapses for even a moment, you know the Swiss superstar will be all over him.
The pair have met on 21 occasions with Federer leading the ledger 16-5.
Prediction
Federer should win, but this will be a long, close fight.
Federer in five sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores and coverage of this quarter-final from around 10:30am (AEST) or at the completion of Kaia Kanepi versus Madison Keys and don’t forget to add a comment below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
That'll just about wrap up our live coverage of the 2017 US Open for today as Juan Martin Del Potro booked his place in the semi-finals. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage. I'll be back from 9am (AEST) tomorrow morning as the women's semi-finals get underway. Be sure to join me then. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
So then, just repeating the final score on this fourth quarter-final, Juan Martin Del Potro has defeated Roger Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The men's semi-finals are locked in. Kevin Anderson [28 RSA] vs Pablo Carreno Busta [12 ESP] Rafael Nadal [1 ESP] vs Juan Martin Del Potro [24 ARG] They will begin at 6am (AEST) on Saturday morning, and should be played in the order listed above. The women's semi-finals will commence at 9am (AEST) tomorrow and be live here on The Roar. Here are those fixtures. Venus Williams [9 USA] vs Sloane Stephens [USA] Coco Vandeweghe [20 USA] vs Madison Keys [15 USA]
Scott Pryde
Expert
Absolutely Mastermind.
Scott Pryde
Expert
MATCH STATISTICS Aces: Federer (17), Del Potro (12) Double faults: Federer (5), Del Potro (3) First serves in: Federer (84/137 @ 61%), Del Potro (80/119 @ 67%) Points won on first serve: Federer (61/84 @ 73%), Del Potro (65/80 @ 81%) Net points won: Federer (34/53 @ 64%), Del Potro (10/18 @ 56%) Break points won: Federer (2/3 @ 67%), Del Potro (3/6 @ 50%) Receiving points won: Federer (34/119 @ 29%), Del Potro (46/137 @ 34%) Winners: Federer (60), Del Potro (48) Unforced errors: Federer (41), Del Potro (32) Total points won: Federer (125), Del Potro (131)
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Roar Guru
Winner of Nadal vs del Potro will almost certainly win the title.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the match Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
So then, the Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer clash at Flushing Meadows will fail to happen yet again, but full credit to Del Potro. Federer could have charged away with that after the second set, but he won an incredible third set tiebreaker, broke early in the fourth and then held his serve with absolute dominance. He lost just four points on his first serve during that final set. Del Potro will take on Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals on Saturday morning (AEST).
Scott Pryde
Expert
GAME, SET, MATCH, JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO The Argentinian has closed it out for his sixth career victory over Roger Federer and a play in the US Open semi-finals! Another huge wide serve, then an inside out forehand and he has beaten Federer in four sets. What a match. What an effort. The 2009 champion is one match away from another final. Roger Federer 5 6 6 4 Juan Martin Del Potro 7 3 7 6
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault on the first serve and again the Federer supporters go up. The second is at the body and Federer looks for the chip and charge - he had the court open, but missed the volley! Oh wow. What a moment. He had the whole court there. Match point Del Potro Federer 5 6 6 4 - 30 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault on the first and the Federer supporters go up. Long point after a return, and Del Potro is just all power, but eventually sends a backhand long. That was superb defence from Federer. Federer 5 6 6 4 - 30 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Federer gets one back. Returns short, then goes for a passing forehand as Del Potro comes to the net. Del Potro gets the racquet on it, but can't clear the net. Federer 5 6 6 4 - 15 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
ACE! Out wide. Two points away. Federer 5 6 6 4 - 0 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Del Potro serving for the match with new balls. He starts with a fault down the T, then goes wide. Federer returns, but can't answer the huge corner forehand. Too good from Del Potro. Federer 5 6 6 4 - 0 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Federer before Del Potro returns short. He then holds his line at the baseline, hits a forehand winner and will hold serve. That enables him to take a bit of momentum onto the Del Potro serve, but he has one more chance to break. This is it. Del Potro serving for the match. Federer 5 6 6 4 - Del Potro 7 3 7 5 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Federer with three straight points. Serve down the middle and he again advances well inside the baseline to hit the forehand winner. Federer 5 6 6 3 - 40 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Wide serve, short return and a big forehand into the open court for Federer as he tries to stay alive in this quarter-final. Federer 5 6 6 3 - 30 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Del Potro now returns serve wide. Federer 5 6 6 3 - 15 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
That's really poor from Federer. He had the whole court to work with there at the net, but hit it back at Del Potro who, in fairness hits an amazing winner. Federer 5 6 6 3 - 0 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Federer back on serve. He faults, then goes at the body before Del Potro comes forward and smacks a cross court forehand winner. Federer 5 6 6 3 - 0 Del Potro 7 3 7 5 - 15