With a set equal, despite a break to recover and earn a spot in the third, Gael Monfils his hands on his knees and took a deep breath, deep breath. Then, after an onslaught of Nadal again put at risk that their service, called the aid directly to the public.
Not resist the pull of the man who, after stumbling Murray, next Monday will be world number two if Djokovic win the tournament. Rafael Nadal will play for the third time the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open after beating Monfils, seeded thirteenth, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. He will face Fernando Gonzalez, who has won the last five meetings, most recently in the semi-finals in Rome last spring.
The Spaniard played his most complete game so far this tournament and yielded good news about his physical condition. The problems in the abdominal region that came to plague him in recent days did not seem to bother too much. He served well, moved fluently and regained the winning warrior spirit that captivates both New York audiences, excited to enjoy his idol at the Arthur Ashe and the evening session. The faithful are less satisfied with a modest ration of battle. Completed the third set, and before that had little resistance Monfils, began leaving the stands. It was already half past eleven on the night of a workday and the party did not seem to give much more.
Nadal, who lost to Monfils in Doha earlier this year and defeated him weeks later in Rotterdam, destroyed all her physical and strategic reserves. If anything Gaulish was seemed able to cope with the athletic strength of his rival, to present fight to the finish. Not so. Gradually, it was deflating, unable to endure his ball speed, contemplating how to rescue each of your mail and quickly took the initiative. I had seen coming from a 5-2 in the first set. Monfils served with 5-3 to win the set and found the best game up to that trance Mallorcan, who shows up to give one and paddled alone in the tiebreaker.
There were few more concessions. Just an oversight on his serve which extended the precarious life of Monfils. Fat to die. Nadal had put two gears and made more to meet slurry into French, whose only recourse was extreme and all risks, look for the shortest possible points, with consequent indentation bugs, to a total of 63. The meeting, in its outcome as in its development, only positives: the Spaniard goes into the quarter, rescues the number two and will meet an opponent quite affordable.
Gonzalez, his opponent in the quarterfinals On the horizon is no longer semi-final Andy Murray, the man who defeated him last year at the same stage. The Scotsman succumbed in three sets to an admirable Cilic, Del Potro will play against in another quarterfinal confrontation. Thus will their hypothetical enemy in the penultimate round. "I'm very, very happy. Thank you all," he said, recovering his best smile.
Meanwhile, Fernando Gonzalez beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (3-6, 6-3, 7-6 and 6-4) and qualified for the quarterfinals States Open States, where they will face Nadal.
The Chilean overcame a spectacular game that delighted New York audiences. Tsonga, seeded seventh, took too many risks. Did most winners, hit a total of 51, but also made more errors, 41, a total of 10 more than his opponent. Another fact that made the difference was that only took one of his 14-ball break.