Top-Ranked Rafael Nadal wary of ‘Top Player’ Del Potro

New York: Rafael Nadal tackles Juan Martin del Potro on Friday for a place in the US Open final, wary of the Argentine giant whose game he describes as having the power to leave opponents “dead.”

World number one Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion, enjoys a 8-5 career edge over 2009 winner Del Potro, who knocked out Roger Federer in the quarter-finals. The 31-year-old Spaniard is 22-3 in Grand Slam semi-finals, winning the last 14 in which he has appeared.

However, his last loss at this stage came on the same New York hard courts in 2009 at the hands of Del Potro, who went on to shock Federer in the final, ending the Swiss legend’s five-year reign.

“Juan Martin is a top player. When he’s playing well, it’s difficult to stop him,” admitted Nadal, who has lost his last two meetings on hardcourts with the 28-year-old.

“I have to play my best tennis,” Nadal said. “If you let him play from good positions with his forehand, you are dead, because he plays super-aggressive, hitting so hard.”

While French Open champion Nadal looks to take another step closer to a 23rd Grand Slam final and 16th title at the majors, del Potro is making up for lost time.

Playing in his first semi-final at the Slams since losing the longest ever last-four clash to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2013, del Potro is riding a tidal wave of emotion in New York.

Unable to prosper fully from his 2009 US Open breakthrough, he was just 20 when long-term struggles with wrist problems began, requiring four surgeries and pushing him to the brink of retirement.

Del Potro has been virtually running on empty. He had to save two match points and come back from two sets down to beat sixth seed Dominic Thiem in the last 16. He almost retired from that titanic clash, suffering from breathing difficulties and a fever.

But he said the passionate support of Argentine fans, many dressed in the light blue football shirts of their country, kept him going. Of the four semi-finalists — South Africa’s Kevin Anderson and Pablo Carreno Busta feature in the other match — Del Potro is the only player to have faced three top-20 seeds.

As a result, the former world number four is match-tough even if he doubts he has the stamina to last the distance against Nadal.