Nadal crushes Robredo to set up Gasquet semi-final

Spaniard beats compatriot in straight sets in US Open quarter-final.

NEW YORK: Merciless Rafael Nadal crushed Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo, the shock conqueror of Roger Federer, 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to reach a fifth US Open semi-final.

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 rollercoaster 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 win over David Ferrer, the Spanish fourth seed.

World number two Nadal, the 2010 champion, took his hardcourt streak this year to 20-0 and his match record to an astonishing 58-3 with nine titles since his return in February after a seven-month injury layoff.

Nadal finished with 28 winners to Robredo’s 10 and didn’t give up a single break point as the world number two claimed an eighth win in eight meetings against his countryman, who has only won one set during that one-sided series.

“I am very happy to be in the semi-finals,” said Nadal. “I think I played my best tennis of this US Open. It’s good to feel better with every match.”

Gasquet is the first Frenchman to get to the semi-finals in New York since Cedric Pioline in 1999.

The victory was only his second 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 in Tarbes in France,” said Gasquet. “Rafa is a good friend of mine so it’ll be great to play him.”

Azarenka books semi-final with Pennetta

Victoria Azarenka prevented the first over-30 women semi-final line-up in Grand Slam history, ripping apart Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-3 to secure a last-four match with Italy’s Flavia Pennetta.

The 24-year-old took only 76 minutes to defeat the 48th-ranked Slovakian while 83rd-rated Pennetta reached her first Grand Slam last four by ousting 10th-seeded compatriot Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1.

World number one Serena Williams will meet Chinese fifth seed Li Na, the 2011 French Open champion, in today’s other semi-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2013.

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