World holds its breath as Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro prepare to clash in US Open semi-finals

Del Potro says he likes the match-up against Nadal, but both insist that this match would be very different to any of their previous encounters

Nadal and Del Potro will play in the US Open semi-finals for a second time (Getty)

Picking a winner of the second men’s semi-final here at the US Open is no easy task, but at least there will be no surprises in the tactics from either man when Rafael Nadal faces Juan Martin del Potro in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night.

As the Spaniard and the Argentinian prepared for their 14th career meeting – Nadal has won eight of their previous matches and Del Potro five – both men were clear about their opponent’s strengths and what they would need to do to win.

“He always makes you play another shot,” Del Potro said of Nadal. “Whenever you think you have a winner, he comes up big with a defensive shot. Whenever you think you’ve got the point won, he comes back with an unbelievable shot. That’s Rafa’s trademark.”

The world No 28 added: “He’s playing so confidently at this tournament. He’s a leftie so it will be easy for him to find my backhand. For sure I will try to make winners with my forehand.”

Del Potro is well aware that Nadal will target his backhand. The 28-year-old Argentinian knows that the stroke is not what it used to be following three operations on his left wrist and one on his right, though he believes that it has been improving with every tournament.

However, Del Potro’s huge forehand and thunderous serve are as dangerous as they have ever been and he will go into the semi-final knowing that he beat Nadal at the same stage of the tournament when he won his only Grand Slam title here eight years ago.

Del Potro beat Nadal in the 2009 US Open semi-finals (Getty)

Del Potro, who says he likes the match-up against Nadal, has also won his two most recent meetings with the Spaniard, though he insisted that this would be very different to any of their previous encounters.

Nadal, meanwhile, understands what a threat Del Potro poses, as the Argentinian showed when he beat Dominic Thiem and Roger Federer in his last two matches despite suffering from flu.

“When he’s playing well it’s difficult to stop him,” Nadal said.

“If he serves well and hits his forehand well, he’s a player who can beat anybody.

“I will have to play my best tennis. I need to be very focused with my serve and play aggressively. If you let him play from good positions with his forehand you are dead, because he plays super-aggressive, hitting so hard. From those positions he is probably unstoppable. I need to play long, I need to play against his backhand, and then open the court.”

Nadal is the current favourite to win the tournament (Getty)

Del Potro joked that he would try not to run too much “because my legs are tired”. He added: “Physically I’m not in perfect condition, but when you play in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, anything can happen. You must be ready to take your chance.

“Playing against Rafa in my favourite tournament, I will try to enjoy the atmosphere. I know that if I play my best tennis I can be a danger to him.”

Del Potro has been playing some fantastic tennis (Getty)

Del Potro said that simply walking out into Arthur Ashe Stadium for his quarter-final against Federer had made him put his physical difficulties to one side.

“When I went on to the court to play Roger in the biggest stadium on the tour and in my favourite tournament, it felt a pleasure just to be there,” he said. “I just tried to play tennis and enjoy the tennis moment. It didn’t matter how bad I had felt before the match.

“Against Rafa it's going to be the same. I will have the chance to play against him in the semi-finals of my best tournament and I will just try to think about tennis.”

Del Potro won their last meeting, at the Rio Olympics (Getty)

Nadal agreed that simply being in the last four made him feel good. “When you start a tournament what you don’t want is to lose in an early round and then go back home with the feeling that you didn’t compete,” he said.

“Now the feeling is completely different. I’ve already won five matches. I am in the semi-finals. I am in a good round. Everything is there to win. It’s the moment to give my best.”

Before Nadal and Del Potro go on court, Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and South Africa’s Kevin Anderson will play in what is a first Grand Slam semi-final for both men. Carreno Busta has won all five of his matches in the tournament so far in straight sets, while Anderson has been broken only three times in his 87 service games.

Anderson is the first South African to reach the semi-finals here since Johan Kriek in 1960. It is 52 years since Cliff Drysdale became the last South African to play in a final here.