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World No .3 Rafael Nadal crushed the Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-0 to set a clash with Juan Martin del Potro in the semi finals.
Rafael Nadal needed just 34 minutes to crush the demoralized Fernando Gonzalez in the rain-interrupted quarterfinal to kick off his action in the semi final match against Del Potro.
Nadal had been leading 7-6 and 3-2 during the second-set tiebreak when play had to be called off on late Thursday evening. The match could not be resumed on Friday as the precipitation had been still heavy.
Nadal chased the second tiebreak, but the brave Gonzalez surrendered himself only during the third set. Only after the match, it was known that nadal had been fighting all the way through with his injured abdominals being taped.
“I have only a little bit problem in the abdominal,” Nadal said, without elaborating. “That’s it.”
Nadal will be facing the rising Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro in the semi finals on Sunday, and if he wins, he will play for the finals on Monday.
Del Potro as well as the combatants of other semi final, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, have been enjoying a break since last Wednesday.
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“For me the match of today wasn’t important physically,” Nadal said. “The condition for me will be the same for the four.”
With the disappointing defeat of Gonzalez, Chile need to wait for yet another year before it will be able to represent itself in the semi finals of US Open.
Even though there were chances for Gonzalez to take over the Spaniard in the second set, his three straight forehand unforced errors was indeed a gift to nadal, with the World No. 3 taking a lead of 6-2. The forehand is Gonzalez’s most potent wing.
"In the beginning of the third set he broke, and then did another one," Gonzalez said. "After that, it's tough, because he was hitting many balls to my backhand really high. I feel I cannot do damage after that, after the first break. I didn't know what to do."
Nadal’s fourth set point came to an end with the backhand return by Gonzalez into the net.
Gonzalez made two double faults in the first game of the third, including on break point, which, he showed off by flinging his racquet in disgust. After Nadal held in the ensuing game for 2-0, at deuce, there was nothing more to tell.
Nadal broke again, and Gonzalez required an extensive tape job while changing over which caused the third set to be extended to 31 minutes.
Gonzalez, who wasted two set points in the first on the Nadal serve, claimed 12 points overall and committed 21 unforced errors. He managed three winners, which was very much less than the 31 combined in the first two sets.
Del Potro, a winner over Nadal in their last two encounters, probably won’t go away so easily.
“He has an unbelievable serve right now,” Nadal said. “From the baseline he’s very solid. He doesn’t make mistakes.”
