New York: If the tennis gods have their way, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will be stepping out for a semifinal showdown a week Friday for their first ever battle at the US Open.
After 37 meetings all over the world, including in the final of each of the other three Grand Slams, a US Open clash would complete the set.
It is a contest Wimbledon champion Federer, who beat Nadal to win the Australian Open in January, would relish, having also beaten his longtime rival in Indian Wells and Miami this year.
But Nadal, who regained the World No.1 ranking this month to be the top seed in the US Open, is focused on the bigger picture.
“I prefer to play against another one,” Nadal told a news conference at Flushing Meadows here Saturday. “Is obvious, no? I am not that way. It sounds very good, but the real thing (is) I prefer to play against another player, an easier one if it’s possible.
“I know you want to hear the other way – that I would love to play with him (Federer), create history. But we’ve already made a lot of history,” the Spaniard added.
A couple of underwhelming performances in the two Masters 1000 events this summer leading up to the US Open has not affected Nadal’s confidence and he is hopeful of a third US Open title, his first since 2013.
“It’s good to be No.1 of the world again, of course,” Nadal stated. “I think it’s a good achievement after three years having some troubles. So, just happy for that. And I am confident that I can go all the way at Flushing Meadows.”
Federer, on the other hand, says he would love a big match against Nadal at the U.S. Open for the first time.
“We never played here in New York so I think that would be fun for everybody involved,” he said. “But there are about 60 players between us who don’t want it. But the bottomline is I’d love to play Rafa here.”
Nadal leads Federer 24-13 overall and 9-3 in Grand Slams but has lost their last four meetings.
Reuters