US Open 2018 Highlights, Men’s singles semifinals: Novak Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori in straight sets. (Source: AP)
US Open 2018 Highlights, Men’s semifinals: Juan Martin Del Potro will face off with Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2018 US Open after they overcame Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori in underwhelming semi-finals at Flushing Meadows. Nadal suffered a knee injury during the match with Del Potro and retired after the second set. He called for trainer twice in the match but couldn’t play beyond the second set. In the second semifinal, Djokovic totally dominated Nishikori in a straight set 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win to seal a place in the final for the eighth time in New York. Djokovic is looking to equal Pete Sampras with 14 grand slam titles.
US Open 2018 Live: Rafael Nadal progressed to the semifinals following a five set win over Dominic Thiem. (Source: AP)
Novak Djokovic: "It felt great. I was out of the blocks with greatest intensity. Had to get the shots going from the word go. I thought I played really, really well against a player like Nishikori who gives you little time."
"The majors are the biggest events and every player performs to best in these events. I have been fortunate to win big events over the last decade and have also lost a few. Playing at arenas like these gives me strength."
"Like thousands around the world, I am trying to reach bigger things. Hopefully you guys are enjoying my tennis!"
"New to face Del Potro in a slam final. Have tremendous respect for him. He's respect around the locker room, struggled with injuries. He's a big match player and showed against Nadal today. I'm sure it will be a great final."
Novak Djokovic into his 8th US Open final with 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Kei Nishikori. A winner to get the job done. Djokovic will now face Juan Martin Del Potro in the final. Djokovic will look to win his 14th grand slam title, 3rd US Open title when he faces the Argentine on Sunday
Two break points for Djokovic and one saved with an ace. On the second, Nishikori sends his groundstroke long. Novak Djokovic to come out and serve for the match when players return
Kei Nishikori pushed on serve but doesn't have to save break points this time. Stays within touching distance but that's been a gap too far tonight. Kei has had just two break point chances and Djokovic had done well to save them both. Blank since then.
Novak Djokovic with two break points in the third game of the third set and this time the Serb converts on the first time of asking. Nishikori with a backhand error and Novak now leads 2-1 in the third set
Nishikori fans look away!
Novak Djokovic serving for the second set: 15-0, Starts off with an ace down the tee. 30-0, Nishikori tries to go for an inside out forehand but goes wide. 30-15, both players go at it from the back of the court before Djokovic's backhand hits the net. 40-15, Djokovic has Nishikori scrambling and the stretched forehand attempt is long. Brings up two set points. Nishikori gets his backhand angle just off and Novak Djokovic wins the second set 6-4. Takes a two set to love lead.
Novak Djokovic with a comfortable service hold and he goes within a game from taking a two set lead in this semifinal.
Novak Djokovic breaks! Didn't make the most of numerous break chances in the first game of the set but does so now. Three break points saved by Nishikori but a mishit on the fourth to hand Djokovic the advantage in the second set
Two straight double faults out of nowhere gives Kei Nishikori a chance to break. But passive play from the Japanese player to stand behind on the second serve and sends his forehand into the net. Another break point arrives with Nishikori's confident play and a smash to close it out. But another error results in another break point going to waste. Two break points saved by Novak Djokovic to hold serve and make it 1-1 in the second set
Break point early into the second set for Novak Djokovic. Both players with some incredible hitting from the back of the court but Djokovic a touch better. Nishikori not far off with a lovely stretched slice reply which kept low and Djokovic couldn't get to it. Break point saved with Nishikori stepping up and dispatching a backhand winner. Nishikori with a chance to hold now as Djokovic's outstretched forehand goes long. Not yet. Djokovic pummels the second serve and puts away the reply away with dominance. Deuce. Incredible depth by Nishikori on his shots but Djokovic is equal to it each time. Nishikori then tries to go for the angle and misses to bring up a second break point in the game. Saved after Djokovic sends his forehand serve reply wide. Deuce. Woops! Double fault and that brings up third break point this game and eighth overall. Another chance wasted by Novak. Djokovic clearly not happy with his return as Nishikori sends in a kick serve on the backhand. Deuce. Fourth break point for Djokovic as Nishikori misses a forehand. Duo trade shots at the net before Nishikori stands tall for a backhand winner down the line and bring the game back to deuce. Djokovic misses the lob and it brings up game point. Deep serve reply into Nishikori and the movement not there to get out of the jam. Into the net and back to deuce. Djokovic tried to go for the backhand down the line over the highest part of the net but misses. Nishikori to try and close out the game once again. Gets the support from the crowd and makes it count helped by Djokovic's backhand into the error.
Novak Djokovic with a forehand winner well past a desperate Kei Nishikori who moves to his left. Serve on the backhand and Nishikori sends it long. Three set points for Djokovic. Ace to wrap things up and Djokovic wins the first set 6-3 in 36 minutes
Nishikori serving to stay in the opening set at 2-5. Double fault by Kei Nishikori and it is now 0-30. Follows it up with an ace out wide. Makes it 30-30 after Djokovic's approach shot is poor. The ball lept up comfortably for Djokovic but the forehand into the corner not good enough, Nishikori gets it back and the volley from Novak is into the net. 30-30. DJOSMASH! As Novak went for the smash, someone yelled from the crowd, and Djokovic sarcastically lets out a thumbs up. The smash into the net brings up game point for Nishikori. Kei sends his forehand into the net and it is deuce. WOAH WOAH! Nishikori moves forward and hobbles as readies to hit the smash. Replay suggests that was a twisted ankle. Wins the point regardless. Holds as Djokovic goes for a down the line winner but Kei is ready to return it for a winner.
Novak Djokovic breezing through on his serves. Holds at love and is now one game away from clinching the opening set
Kei Nishikori pushed once again on the serve but gets out of a pressure situation to hold his serve and stay in it but only just. Advantage of the break still with Novak
Novak Djokovic with a strong start to the match. Holds serve with decent ease to consolidate the break which came after some work. Nishikori saved four break points but couldn't save the fifth. Nishikori finding the depth but Djokovic better on key points
Head-to-head: Novak Djokovic enjoys a 14-2 lead in their head-to-head, but Nishikori will take heart from his victory over the Serb at this stage of the tournament in 2014
Now on court, Kei Nishikori and Novak Djokovic for the second semi-final.
Novak Djokovic's ROAD TO SEMI-FINALS:First round: beat Marton Fucsovics (Hungary) 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-0Second round: beat Tennys Sandgren (U.S.) 6-1 6-3 6-7(2) 6-2Third Round: beat 26-Richard Gasquet (France) 6-2 6-3 6-3Fourth Round: beat Joao Sousa (Portugal) 6-3 6-4 6-3Quarter-finals: beat John Millman (Australia) 6-3 6-4 6-4
Kei Nishikori's ROAD TO SEMI-FINALS:First round: beat Maximilian Marterer (Germany) 6-2 6-2 6-3Second round: beat Gael Monfils (France) 6-2 5-4 Monfils retired.Third Round: beat 13-Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) 6-4 6-4 5-7 6-1Fourth Round: beat Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 6-3 6-2 7-5Quarter-finals: beat 7-Marin Cilic (Croatia) 2-6 6-4 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4
Nadal in the press conference: "I know how I have to work to be better as soon as possible, because I have a lot of experience on that," Says it is similar to his other knee issues (tendinitis)
Nadal confirms it is the knee: "The pain in the knee is always very similar when I have it," he said. "This time it was something a little more aggressive because it was in one movement, not progressive."
Not the way this match should have been decided. Pity. Nadal with ninth retirement of his career and will not be defending his US Open title on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal retires after the second set. Juan Maritn Del Potro is into the US Open final to try and replicate his achievement from 2009.
Del Potro: This is not the best way to win a match. I love to play against Rafa because he's a fighter. I am sad to see him retire but I'm also happy to make the final. The key in the match was the first set and we both played well. I did well int he tiebreak and hope to do well in the final again.
It means a lot to be in the final. Didn't expect to be in another grand slam final and that too at my favourite slam. I have my biggest memories on this court back in 2009. Beat Rafa and Roger then but I was kid then. Much older now. Thank you to the crowd for the support.
Thank you, everyone, and see you on Sunday!
Nadal serving to stay in the second set. 30-30 after another missed shot by the Spaniard. Sends his forehand long and that brings up a set point for Del Potro. Saved! Del Potro pushed on the forehand to try and come up with a pass but its not there. Nadal with a game point now as Del Potro's attempted lob sails over. Nadal tries for too much and sends the forehand long now. Back to deuce. Nadal misses the backhand as it goes into the net. Brings up break point and set point. Converted! Del Potro with the winner and he takes the second set 6-2.
Nadal complains about a call from the crowd even before the ball landed in. Tells chair umpire, 'I'm going to retire anyway but you can't allow this, man!'. Saves the break point with Del Potro sending the backhand serve return into the net. Another break point saved with Del Potro's shot going wide. Nadal quicker between points now. Serves into Del Potro's body and gets out of the cage with the hold.
From 0-30 down, Del Potro comes back with confident groundstrokes and winners to hold serve and consolidate the break of serve. Nadal's body language not the greatest. Ofcourse Del Potro had spent lesser time on court coming into the match. Nadal with two four hour matches in New York and one that went to three hours.
Juan Martin Del Potro with three points in a row after the break. All three backhand winner and it brings up three break points. Nadal saves two but not the third. Tries to run around his forehand but sends it long. BREAK DEL POTRO! The Argentine leads 3-1 in the second set
Nadal has taken a medical timeout. Getting his knee taped up properly now. Physio out with Nadal getting his knee massaged.
Juan Martin Del Potro with great hands and anticipation to read Nadal's attempted pass and gets to it quickly for a volley winner and brings up two break points. Nadal saves one with a strong second serve and follows it up with a winner. Mixing things up now Nadal. Into Del Potro's backhand and approaches net but the ball fails to come back. Another big serve on deuce, down the tee, and Del Potro has no answer. Nadal finds the line and Del Potro's drop shot hits the net. Hold!
Third set point for Juan Martin Del Potro. Nadal sends his backhand into the net and Del Potro wins the opening set 7-6 (3) in 69 minutes. The Argentine goes off for a toilet break
Del Potro with a massive forehand into the open court and makes it 5-2. Nadal with some gap to bridge. Del Potro's backhand serve reply is into the net. 5-3 now. Nadal goes for a forehand winner down the line but misses it. Too much of an angle to make but Nadal misses this time.
Nadal on the defense tries to prolong the point but the loopy reply goes long. 3-1 to Del Potro. Nadal not pleased with few balls available on the serving end. Silently complains about the shot clock and no balls available. Lucky, lucky Nadal on the next point. Goes for the drop shot, hits the top of the net and goes over.
Tiebreak record in 2018: Nadal 11-5 this season and Del Potro 19-9.
Del Potro with a mini-break to start off with. 1-0 in the tiebreak in favour of the Argentina. Make that 2-0 with a big forehand winner after a poor serve reply from the Spaniard. Nadal with an unbelievable backhand cross court winner. Almost no angle there for mere mortals. Mini break back for Nadal.
Rafael Nadal with a gorgeous running forehand winner picking up the ball from within inches of the ground. Del Potro with sublime forehands of his own. Nadal approaches the net and Del Potro with a huge forehand winner to make it 40-30. Nadal sends his backhand into the net for the hold. TIEBREAK!
WHAT. A. SHOT!
Celebrities in attendance in New York
Juan Martin Del Potro serving for the opening set. The Argentine sends his sliced backhand wide and it is into the tramlines. Make that 15-15 as Del Potro delivers his usual thundering forehand for a winner. Nadal's forehand unable to take the weight of Del Potro's huge shots. Del Potro misses a forehand and 15-30 now. Del Potro goes 5/9 at the net with a lovely placed backhand volley winner with Rafa playing fetch once again. Nadal sends his backhand serve reply into the net and that brings up set point for Del Potro. Big chance missed by Del Potro. Had the opportunity to seize the set point but Nadal's get on the forehand forces Del Potro to go for bit much and it goes wide. No trouble, Del Potro with a booming backhand winner down the line to bring up a second set point chance. Forehand shanked into the net by the Argentine and back to deuce. Break point chance for Nadal as Del Potro goes for too much and misses his forehand in doing so. Del Potro misses his backhand trying to go down the line and that's BREAK BACK! 5-5 in the first set
BREAK! Juan Martin Del Potro gets the all-important break of serve in the ninth game. Breaks Rafa at 15 and will now serve for the opening set following the change of ends. Pumps his fist as Nadal's shot goes wide
Little look in for Rafael Nadal to make it 0-30 on the Del Potro serve. But the Argentina comes back to make it 30-30 following an ace and then Nadal slicing his backhand wide. Del Potro brings up game point with a thundering forehand into open court after serve out wide. Nadal almost standing close to the linesperson - even on the second serve. Del Potro finds the line with a backhand winner and holds serve.
Rafael Nadal rock solid at the net. Deep approach shot on the Del Potro forehand and the reply is straight into Nadal's steady hands. Comfortable volley winner into open court for the hold
Both players hold serve after the two breaks to begin the match. Great strokes from the back - as one would have expected