Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro converted eight of eight break points to reach the semi-finals of the US Open yesterday with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 win over Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro converted eight of eight break points to reach the semi-finals of the US Open yesterday with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 win over Marin Cilic of Croatia.
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Servingu00a0upu00a0a treat: Juan Martin del Potro |
In a battle between two giant 20-year-olds, sixth-seeded Del Potro started slowly before wresting control of the match away from Cilic midway through the second set.
He will go on to play the winner of the night match between third seed Rafael Nadal of Spain and Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez for a place in Sunday's final.
The other semi-final will oppose title-holder and top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland against third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
"In a big match like today you are going to feel nervous at the start, but I fought until the final of it," Del Potro said. "The windy conditions were tough for both players but I stayed so focussed on my serve and I never missed an easy ball.
"I am very happy to be in the semis and want to be in the final but both players will be tough for me." Cilic, playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final, grabbed the first break of serve in the fifth game, converting his third break point with a tremendous running forehand whipped down the line for a 3-2 lead.
He held serve three more times to take the set, displaying all the attacking skills that destroyed the
tournament's second seed, Britain's Andy Murray, in the quarter-finals.
Cilic broke again to open the second set and he held onto that until the sixth game, when the Croatian served up four straight unforced errors on the forehand side to gift Del Potro his first break.
