Rafael Nadal crushed Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo, the shock conqueror of Roger Federer, 6-0 6-2 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The 12-time Grand Slam title winner will face Richard Gasquet for a place in Monday’s final after the French eighth seed clinched a 6-3 6-1 4-6 2-6 6-3 win over David Ferrer, the Spanish fourth seed.
“I’m very happy, I think I just played my best match at the US Open this year,” Nadal said after the win.
French eighth seed Richard Gasquet reached his first US Open semi-final with a rollercoaster 6-3 6-1 4-6 2-6 6-3 win over David Ferrer, the Spanish fourth seed.
Gasquet, whose only previous appearance in the last four at a major was at Wimbledon in 2007, is the first Frenchman to get to the semi-finals in New York since Cedric Pioline in 1999.
It was only his second win in 10 meetings with Ferrer, a series which had also seen him claim just two sets out of 20.
Next up is Nadal, against whom he has lost all 10 meetings as a professional, although he did beat the great Spaniard in their junior days.
“I beat him when I was 13 in a junior tournament. Rafa is a good friend of mine so if I play him it will be great,” said Gasquet, who is 2-2 against Robredo.
Gasquet had played the longest match of the tournament to see off Milos Raonic in the fourth round but he showed no ill effects from that four-hour-40-minute slugfest as he raced through the first two sets against Ferrer.
His majestic one-handed backhand was working overtime as Ferrer, a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2010, struggled.
But the 31-year-old Spaniard summoned up his trademark pugnacious instincts to claw his way back.
Ferrer, who has made at least the quarter-finals in his past eight majors, levelled the quarter-final, although Gasquet had his chances in a 13-minute sixth game where he carved out three break points.
But gallant Gasquet grabbed the crucial break in the sixth game of the decider when Ferrer double-faulted and took the match courtesy of a swinging forehand winner.
In a tight contest, Gasquet finished with 52 winners to Ferrer’s 40 with the 27-year-old Frenchman collecting just five points more.
“I played a great match at the start despite the wind in the stadium. But David is a great fighter and I was a little tired after a big match with Raonic,” said Gasquet.
“I got the break in the final set and it’s an amazing feeling to be in the semi-finals. I have played a lot of five sets in my career but I still needed to play big to get the victory.”
Gasquet’s win brought congratulations from compatriot Marion Bartoli, who won a surprise Wimbledon women’s title in July.
“What a match from richard #Gasquet @usopen, so proud of him!! What an effort to pull it out at the end in 5
! Wowwwww #letsgorich,” Bartoli tweeted.
