Updates: Nadal Leads Berrettini In US Open Semi-finals

Three-time US Open champion Rafael Nadal has been in devastating form since arriving in New York. But the No. 2 seed has had to battle hard so far in Friday evening’s semi-finals.

Nadal saved two set points in the opening-set tie-break before taking a 7-6(6) lead against first-time major semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy. The Spaniard is trying to reach his fifth final in Flushing Meadows.

After a double fault from the World No. 2 to start the tie-break, Berrettini threw everything he had at the Spaniard, using his arsenal of weapons from the baseline to take a commanding 4/0 lead. But as always, Nadal battled hard and would not let slip the set without a fight.

Berrettini earned two set points at 6/4. On his first opportunity, the Italian clipped the tape on a forehand approach shot, and he hit an ensuing backhand volley into the net. On the next point, Berrettini carved a backhand drop shot into the net. And from there, Nadal raised his defensive walls high, putting ball after ball back into the court until the three-time ATP Tour titlist made two more unforced errors to give the second seed the opener.

Nadal, an 18-time major winner, has lost just one set so far this fortnight, and that came in the fourth round against Marin Cilic, who earned the crown here five years ago. This is the first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between Nadal and Berrettini.

The winner of this match will face first-time Slam finalist Daniil Medvedev, who ousted 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov earlier in the day. Medvedev owns a 20-2 record during the North American summer hard-court swing, including his first ATP Masters 1000 triumph at the Western & Southern Open.

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2ZQVnLv