Juan Martin del Potro has reached the semi-finals of the US Open for the third time in his career. The 2009 tournament winner lost his first set in the fifth match against John Isner (USA) at 6:7 (5), 6:3, 7:6 (4), 6:2, but won the match after 3:31 hours.
Del Potro could, as so often in New York, count on the support of a large part of the audience. The Argentinian turned the momentum at the beginning of the second set with an early break, the decision was made by winning the third set.
Also last year del Potro (29) entered the round of the last four in Flushing Meadows, but was eliminated against Rafael Nadal, who later won the title. On Friday he could once again meet the world number one from Spain. Nadal plays in his quarter-final against the Austrian Dominic Thiem. Against Thiem del Potro had made up a 2-0 set deficit a year ago and fended off two match points.
The USA are still waiting for the first semi-finalists in the men’s singles of the home grand slam since Andy Roddick twelve years ago. Roddick was the last American to win a Grand Slam tournament in New York in 2003. Isner (33), 2.08 m tall and 26 aces were not enough for his second Grand Slam semi-final in Wimbledon in July.
Here is the single tableau of the US Open 2018