So much for the first US Open matchup between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Federer failed to live up to his end of the bargain.
Hours after Nadal did his part with an easy victory to get to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, Federer was unable to join him for what would have been the most anticipated showdown of the entire two weeks, wasting chances to take control and missing shots he normally makes in a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 loss to 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro on Wednesday.
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“He came up with the goods when he needed to and I helped him a little bit sometimes, too, maybe,” Federer said.
Federer described himself as too “edgy” and said “that little magic was missing.”
He said that, unlike just about everyone else, he did not spend any time at all pondering a possible matchup with Nadal at the only Grand Slam tournament where they have never met.
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Their rivalry has included 37 matches and at least two finals at each of the other majors.
“I had struggled too much throughout the tournament to think too far ahead,” Federer said.
Given that he is 36 and Nadal is 31, perhaps it is time for the tennis world to concede that a match between the two at the US Open will never happen.
This is the sixth occasion when they were a round away from playing in New York, but one or the other lost — including eight years ago, when del Potro beat Nadal in the semi-finals, then Federer in the final to end the Swiss star’s run of five consecutive titles at the tournament.
This time, Federer entered the quarter-finals 18-0 in Grand Slam play this season, including titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon to raise his record count to 19 major championships.
However, he tweaked his back at a tournament last month, curtailing his preparation for the US Open and he was not quite at his best for stretches. He needed five sets to win each of his first two matches and on Wednesday succumbed to Del Potro’s familiar formula of massive forehands and booming serves.
Before the US Open began, Nadal was honest as can be when asked whether he hoped to face Federer.
The answer, the No. 1-seeded Nadal said, was no, because he would rather go up against someone easier to beat.
He faces 24th-seeded Del Potro today.
The other semi-final features two men who have never been this far at any major: No. 12 Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain and No. 28 Kevin Anderson of South Africa.
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