US Open 2018: Rafael Nadal, injured, retires, Juan Martín del Potro arrives in final – as it happened | sport

Flushing Meadows fell a little quiet when Nadal left, but now they are falling down lovingly on the popular Del Potro. He is a deserving runner-up and will give Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori something serious to think of next Sunday. In this regard, you'd better qualify to say hello to Bryan Armen Graham, who will occupy the big chair for the second men's semi. Congratulations to the wonderful Juan Martin del Potro, congratulations to Rafael Nadal, and thank you all for your reading. Night and sweet dreams!

But the very friendly and exceptionally talented Juan Martin del Potro deserves to be in the final. This is not how he wanted to get through, but does not neglect a good performance. He was just beautiful tonight. "Well, it's not the best way to win a game. I like to play against Rafa because he is the greatest fighter, I do not like to see him suffer and I am saddened for him. But anyway, the key of the match was the first set, we both played good tennis and I behaved well during the tie-break. I am so happy to be in the finals again. It means a lot to me, I did not expect to enter another Grand Slam final. It's my favorite tournament and my biggest memories are here in 2009. But I was a kid and now I'm a lot older.

Nadal calls the trainer again. A quick word His head falls and he puts his racket back in his bag. He then gives the word to the referee … he can not continue. He withdraws and kisses del Potro. The couple discusses a bit like a distressed Nadal explains his situation. It's a bittersweet moment. Nadal takes leave, stadium Arthur Ashe stunned for a second, before giving the outgoing hero the ovation he deserves. What a pity.

Nadal * 6-7, 2-6 del Potro. Nadal serves to stay in the second set. He goes 30-0 quickly, but three consecutive errors in a row give Del Potro a set point. Nadal saves him by charging the net, forcing Del Potro to send a forehand right. But he takes another shot in the net, and it's a second set point. Del Potro puts a forehand in front of him and it's the second set at Del Potro.

Nadal 6-7, 2-5 del Potro *. Nadal does not play only with a wounded knee; his movement was also hampered by Black Dog, who dipped his teeth in his Aris and did not give up. It is steaming. 45 degree eyebrows. Not sure if he's annoyed by himself, his injury or that argument when calling halfway. But he's not in the right place right now. Del Potro wins an easy-to-love service game.

Nadal * 6-7, 2-4 del Potro. Nadal was in a deep funk during the change, staring into space, frowning and groaning. His mood was not helped when a ball was intercepted halfway through, but it is ignored, the point continues and Nadal sends a wide. Break Point He approaches the referee, furious, wagging his finger. During an emotional emotion, he pronounces a sentence that contains the word "withdraw". Oh no. The good news: he continues to play and keeps his service. Hoping it's good to continue.

Nadal 6-7, 1-4 del Potro *. But, at that moment, Del Potro commits his 18th error without result, beating a weak forehand in the net. He has problems at 0-30. But he moves Nadal in a few rallies, bringing him back to 30-30. Nadal screams of agony as he slides towards a ball far to the left; is it the knee or just the frustration he could not reach? Two points later, and it's a big feat for Del Potro, who dug brilliantly and sent Nadal, moving, moving here and there.

Nadal * 6-7, 1-3 del Potro. Nadal went back on the subject and immediately went around Del Potro, who made a sweet. Del Potro, sensing that it is time to hit, rises quickly to 0-40, passing a backhand at the bottom of the left sideline. Three breaking points. Nadal responds with a screaming shot, then the nets of Delpo weakly. But Nadal can not escape anymore. He beats very hard and the 2009 champion is a set and a break with the triple winner.

Nadal takes a medical break time. The defending champion recovers his right knee again. He does not look particularly happy, grimacing in pain as the coach loops the band around his tendon. The trainer gives him a good hard massage, then applies a kind of spray on the knee. Hoping it's good to continue. And a thought for del Potro too; he is up at the moment, and will not want to lose his mojo in the meantime.

Nadal 6-7, 1-2 del Potro *. An easy catch to love for the big man.

Nadal * 6-7, 1-1 del Potro. Nadal loads the net, but del Potro zips a beautiful lapel on the right touchline. Then a big gathering is won by the big man, with a magnificent whip on the left. Then, a point simply scandalous for del Potro, who crushes a forehand that strikes Nadal on his heels; Nadal is recovering and seems to have won with a tricky drop drop, but Del Potro then rallies volley to gain a few break points. Nadal is the definition of the dictionary of tenacious, however, and suddenly increases a speed, winning four points in a row to hold. Del Potro threw everything on him then, but he escaped with the game. Del Potro will be annoyed to miss an opportunity for another break, but at least he has a lot of chances. Both players have already won 47 points.

Nadal 6-7, 0-1 del Potro *. Del Potro takes control of two rallies, displacing Nadal. Maybe trying to test his movement, Nadal having covered his knee earlier. He rides 40-15. But Nadal wakes up, winning a point with a superb shot, then a defensive return that surprises Delpo at the net. But a game to see ends with style, while Del Potro follows a great service with a delicious drop drop that beats Nadal. Del Potro launches the second set with a catch.

Del Potro won this tie-break with ease. It's a performance because he watched a broken man for a while over there, after two glorious occasions serving the set-up at 5-4. If he had ended up losing the set, it might have been hard to come back. But it bounces, a mixture of jubilation and relief. Nadal was strangely uncompetitive during the tie-break.

Nadal 6-7 del Potro. Del Potro makes a mini-break when a netcord sends the ball to Nadal. Delpo wins his first serve at 2-0. Nadal wins the mini-break with a superb two-handed backhand on the court. But then loses it again while del Potro crashes a big forehand in the left corner; Nadal can not come back. Then Nadal has a clean rope, a throw falling almost badly but stunning on the net. That's 3-2 at Delpo, who has a mini-break in his pocket. Then 4-2, Nadal is an inch long with a scandalous lob. And then 5-2, a huge service putting up a powerful forehand that Nadal can not reach. Nadal must keep his two points of service. But he is missing an empty pitch with a forehand and Delpo has his third point at 6-3. Nadal throws a forehand in the net and a first round of 69 minutes goes to the 2009 champion!

Nadal 6-6 del Potro *. Delicate scenes as Del Potro strikes a great serve and stops playing while Nadal whistles in front of his horns. Delpo thought his service was over, so challenges. It's inside, and he loses the point. A nod of the head hanging from these dilapidated setpoints. It costs him almost as well: by serving 40-30 years, a good service is called … and there are no more challenges to overcome! But he pulls himself together with death and this first set will break.

Nadal * 6-5 del Potro. Having been broken, del Potro looks broken. His shoulders sag, his feet drag. Nadal goes through his service game to love.

Nadal 5-5 del Potro *. Nadal missed a few forehands in this last match, which could explain why he threw his bottle of water in irritation as he returned to his chair. He takes the band of his knee. And will put Del Potro under some pressure, leading to a 15-30 lead. But Del Potro sends a huge kick to the right, sending Nadal's desperate return to the net. Another big service and he has a set point. What he should convert, but he tightens and sends an easy cross winner on the left. Devil. Then another set point – that he taps into the net! If Nadal hits this game, he will kill del Potro. Del Potro raises another wide … then passes one by the net to put the break in check! Two set points came and went; del Potro visibly tight in the clutch. It was terrible.

Nadal * 4-5 del Potro. That said, del Potro suddenly found the top gear – in the race, pushing Nadal – and breaks again! He seals the contract with a forehand that crushes on the right; Nadal can only whip a return on the net. And now, the big man will serve for the first set!

Nadal 4-4 del Potro *. A busy stopover for Nadal, who asks one of his snowshoes to pull himself together, and gets his right knee sticking. He does not seem to be too embarrassed because he wins a rally of 14 shots. But del Potro finishes his service and sees the match come out. Strange to say that a match has already had two breaks of service, but it has not yet taken off. A pinch of the spectacular, but neither player has reached his best level.

Nadal * 4-3 del Potro. Del Potro poses a serious question to Nadal, sending a forehand from 101 miles to the hour. But Nadal returns in some way and del Potro lasts a long time. Another easy catch for Nadal.

Nadal 3-3 del Potro *. Nadal leads in a 0-30 lead, forcing a mistake during a rally, then enjoying a forehand from Del Potro who loses the battle with the net rope. But Delpo gets his first service. Four points in a row to win the game, the last a rare victory in a basic rally.

Nadal * 3-2 del Potro. An easy catch for Nadal, who ends the match with a good serve point and volley to the old.

Nadal 2-2 del Potro *. Del Potro, playing in Australian gold, teases Nadal to the net, then sends a screamer along the left sideline. He then flirts with some unforced errors giving Nadal a 15-30 lead. But a big service makes it come out of a hole. He is serving for the first time.

Nadal * 2-1 del Potro. Nadal sends a forehand on the sideline, the ball goes into the right corner and kicks, leaving Del Potro no chance to return. This ball was doing all kinds of things in the air; scandalous competence. This puts him on the road for the first service take of the match.

Nadal 1-1 del Potro *. Del Potro loads the net and engages Nadal in a rat-a-tat volley. Nadal wins the point by beating the ball through del Potro and across the short court. Nadal earns two points and he only needs one. An immediate pause! Del Potro made two unforced errors in this match, one forehand fizzled, another on the left.

Nadal * 0-1 del Potro. A precarious beginning of Nadal, who plays with some weak shots. Then a long rally. It seems that Del Potro is in charge, but Nadal proposes a weak approach. A fizzer. But Nadal throws a wide shot wide at the next rally, and Del Potro has some breaking points. Nadal saves first with a shocking drop drop, but breaks away from second place in a long rally, and the big Argentine makes an early break!

Juan Martin del Potro: A class act (pt II in a continuous series): Before playing to play, he was photographed in front of a group of fans in Argentina. All were singing, some bouncing, most were spreading delicious alcoholic beers. Each of them had a hug from their hero. In any case, go to the referee: "Take your seats, please, ladies and gentlemen. First set, Rafael Nadal serving. Ready … thank you … play! "

The players are on the ground! The residents of Arthur Ashe Stadium offer both men a great reception. maybe the defending champion has a little more love. But these are two popular players. That's because they're so good: Nadal says in his pre-game interview that he's going to have to play his best tennis to beat an opponent that he's very respectful of, while del Potro holds the word "rivalry", which seems far too aggressive and personal to his liking; he only plays tennis against a player he admires. Real gentlemen. On the court, del Potro wins the draw, calling the heads correctly and chooses to receive. We will be in a minute!

It is possible that this men's semifinal of the US Open will end in a few hours. Yes, it's possible … it's just not likely. Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro do not enjoy half an epic, you see. Nadal has just spent four hours and 49 minutes giving up Dominic Thiem; Del Potro needed three and a half hours to send John Isner after four sets and two tiebreakers. And you may remember the meeting at Wimbledon at the beginning of the summer; this clash took the best part of five hours to complete.

The defending champion, Nadal, is the favorite to qualify for the final, with an 11-5 lead over del Potro. He saw the big Argentinian this year at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, as well as in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows last year. But Del Potro has a crumb of comfort: he beat Nadal in the 2009 semifinal, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, and won the title, ending the 40-game unbeaten streak of Roger Federer. In the process.

So be comfortable, the night could be long. This is the first men's semi. It's the 2009 winner against the 2010, 2013 and 2017 champions. It's a battle to face either Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori in the final. It's on!