Featured Men's Singles Semi-Finals
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2017 US OPEN Flushing, New York, USA | August 28-September 10, 2017 Draw Size: S-128, D-64 | $50.4 million | Hard www.usopen.org DAY 12 MEDIA NOTES | Friday, September 8, 2017 FEATURED MEN’S SINGLES SEMI-FINALS ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM [1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs [24] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) Nadal Leads 8-5 [28] Kevin Anderson (RSA) vs [12] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) Anderson Leads 2-0 DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS • The semi-finals on Friday feature two former US Open champions and two Grand Slam semi-final debutants. The 2017 US Open is the first Grand Slam event to feature three double-digit seeds or unseeded players in the semi- finals since 2002 Roland Garros: [11] Juan Carlos Ferrero, [18] Alex Corretja and [20] Albert Costa. All three were Spaniards, and the 2017 US Open has been another breakout tournament for Spain. Two Spaniards are in the semi-finals for the first time in US Open history: Rafael Nadal and Pablo Carreno Busta. On Monday, Nadal and Garbine Muguruza will be No. 1 on the ATP World Tour and WTA respectively, marking the first time since August 10, 2003 that two players from the same country will top the rankings (Andre Agassi and Serena Williams of USA). • No. 1 Nadal and No. 24 seed Juan Martin del Potro resume their rivalry with the Spaniard holding an 8-5 head- to-head lead. However, the Argentine leads 5-4 on hard courts, winning the last two meetings (2013 Shanghai, 2016 Rio Olympics). Nadal is 3-2 in US Open semi-finals and 22-3 in Grand Slam semi-finals overall, winning the last 14 since falling to del Potro at the 2009 US Open. The Spaniard is looking to reach his 23rd career Grand Slam final (15-7) and third of the season (1-1). This is del Potro’s second US Open SF and fourth Grand Slam SF overall (1-2). The 2009 US Open champion last reached a Grand Slam SF at 2013 Wimbledon (l. to Djokovic). • In the first semi-final on Arthur Ashe Stadium, No. 28 seed Kevin Anderson brings a 2-0 head-to-head record against No. 12 seed Carreno Busta, who has not dropped a set in five matches (15-0). The last time two first-time Grand Slam semi-finalists met in a SF was 2005 Roland Garros (Puerta d. Davydenko). Carreno Busta is attempting to become the first US Open champion since Neale Fraser in 1960 to win the title without dropping a set. The 31- year-old Anderson has only been broken three times in 87 service games (97%), saving 15 of 18 break points. Anderson is the first South African to reach the US Open semi-finals since Johan Kriek in 1980 (l. to Borg). He bids to become the first South African in a US Open final since Cliff Drysdale in 1965 and a Grand Slam final since Kriek won the 1981 Australian Open (d. Denton). Kriek represented the USA when he won the 1982 Australian Open. • Anderson, Carreno Busta and del Potro are all capable of milestones based on their ranking. As the World No. 32, Anderson is the lowest-ranked player in a Grand Slam semi-final since No. 34 Tommy Haas at 2009 Wimbledon and in a US Open semi-final since No. 54 Mikhail Youzhny in 2006. Anderson or the 28th-ranked del Potro could become the lowest-ranked US Open finalist and/or champion since the inception of the Emirates ATP Rankings in 1973. The South African or Argentine could also become the lowest-ranked Grand Slam finalist since No. 38 Jo- Wilfried Tsonga at the 2008 Australian Open. Anderson, del Potro or the 19th-ranked Carreno Busta could become the lowest-ranked Grand Slam champion since No. 44 Gaston Gaudio at 2004 Roland Garros. If Carreno Busta defeats Anderson and Nadal defeats del Potro, Carreno Busta would be the lowest-ranked US Open finalist since No. 22 Mark Philippoussis in 1998 and Grand Slam finalist since No. 25 Robin Soderling at 2009 Roland Garros. Carreno Busta would be the lowest-ranked US Open champion since the 20th-ranked Agassi in 1994. Emirates ATP Race to London (entering semi-finals) 1 Rafael Nadal* 8,085^ 2 Roger Federer* 7,505 3 Alexander Zverev 4,220 4 Dominic Thiem 3,715 5 Stan Wawrinka 3,150 6 Grigor Dimitrov 3,105 7 Marin Cilic 2,995 8 Pablo Carreno Busta 2,595^ 9 Novak Djokovic 2,585 10 Sam Querrey 2,435 * Qualified ^ Add 480 points for SF win NOTE: Top 8 players qualify for London 2017 US OPEN – Day 12 Media Notes Friday, September 8, 2017 Page 2 of 7 [1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs [24] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) Nadal Leads 8-5 07 ATP Masters 1000 Miami (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Rafael Nadal 6-0 6-4 07 Roland Garros (France) Clay R128 Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-3 6-2 07 London/Queen's Club (Great Britain) Grass R32 Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4 09 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard QF Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-4 09 ATP Masters 1000 Miami (U.S.A.) Hard QF Juan Martin del Potro 6-4 3-6 7-6(3) 09 ATP Masters 1000 Montreal Hard QF Juan Martin del Potro 7-6(5) 6-1 09 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard SF Juan Martin del Potro 6-2 6-2 6-2 11 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard SF Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4 11 Wimbledon (Great Britain) Grass R16 Rafael Nadal 7-6(6) 3-6 7-6(4 6-4 11 Davis Cup Final (Spain) Clay RR Rafael Nadal 1-6 6-4 6-1 7-6(0) 13 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard F Rafael Nadal 4-6 6-3 6-4 13 ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai (China) Hard SF Juan Martin del Potro 6-2 6-4 16 Rio Olympics (Brazil) Hard SF Juan Martin del Potro 5-7 6-4 7-6(5) [1] RAFAEL NADAL vs [24] JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO 31 (6/3/86) Age (Birthdate) 28 (9/23/88) No. 1 (No. 1 on 8/18/08) Emirates ATP Ranking (Career-High) No. 28 (No. 4 on 1/11/10) Manacor, Mallorca, Spain Birthplace Tandil, Argentina Manacor, Mallorca, Spain Residence Tandil, Argentina 54-9 (27-7) 2017 Record (on hard) 23-11 (15-7) 860-183 (408-124) Career Record (on hard) 369-151 (258-104) 4 / 73 2017 Titles / Career Titles 0 / 19 224-33 Career Grand Slam Record 77-30 51-10 (2010, 2013 Champion) US Open Record (Best Result) 29-7 (2009 Champion) 19-10 (2-2) Career 5th-Set Record (YTD) 7-9 (1-0) 3 Comebacks from 0-2 Down 2 211-136 (11-5) Career Tiebreak Record (YTD) 128-97 (11-5) $86,289,532 Career Prize Money $16,895,529 Toni Nadal and Carlos Moya Coach Sebastian Prieto STATS COMPARISON: Tournament statistics entering Friday: Statistic Nadal del Potro Aces (Double Faults) 23 (16) 68 (21) 1st-Serve Percentage 65% 63% 1st-Serve Points Won 76% 78% 2nd-Serve Points Won 63% 57% Service Games Won 92% (69 of 75) 89% (78 of 88) Break Points Saved 74% (17 of 23) 58% (14 of 24) 1st-Serve Return Points Won 41% 30% 2nd-Serve Return Points Won 54% 48% Return Games Won 42% (31 of 74) 21% (19 of 90) Break Points Converted 40% (31 of 78) 37% (19 of 51) Time on Court 11:41 13:20 For the latest stats, facts and figures about the ATP World Tour, please follow @ATPMediaInfo on Twitter. 2017 US OPEN – Day 12 Media Notes Friday, September 8, 2017 Page 3 of 7 [1] RAFAEL NADAL Grand Slam History • Second all-time with 15 titles and 22 finals at Grand Slams (Federer: 19 titles, 29 finals) • One of 3 men to win a Grand Slam title in teens, 20s and 30s (also Sampras, Rosewall) • Only man or woman in Open Era to win a Grand Slam event 10 times (Roland Garros) • Owns records of 79-2 at Roland Garros and 102-2 in best-of-five-set matches on clay • Dropped 35 games en route to 2017 Roland Garros title (d. Wawrinka), fewest for Grand Slam champion since Borg at 1978 Roland Garros (32) • Won 2005 Roland Garros title in tournament debut as 19-year-old and remains youngest Slam champion since Chang, 17, at 1989 Roland Garros • As 24-year-old at 2010 US Open, became youngest man in Open Era to complete career Grand Slam (d. Djokovic). One of 2 players to win all 4 Grand Slams and Olympic singles gold medal (also Agassi). • Owns 9-3 Grand Slam W-L vs. Federer, including 5-set wins for 2008 Wimbledon and 2009 Australian Open titles • Won at least 1 Grand Slam and 1 ATP Masters 1000 title each year from 2005 through 2014 • Missed 9 Grand Slams due to injury: Australian Open in 2006 (left foot) and 2013 (stomach virus); Roland Garros in 2003 (elbow) and 2004 (left ankle); Wimbledon in 2004 (left ankle), 2009 (knee tendinitis) and 2016 (left wrist); and US Open in 2012 (left knee) and 2014 (right wrist) 2017 Highlights W (4): ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo (d Ramos-Vinolas); Barcelona (d Thiem); ATP Masters 1000 Madrid (d Thiem); Roland Garros (d Wawrinka) F (3): Australian Open (l Federer); Acapulco (l Querrey); ATP Masters 1000 Miami (l Federer) QF (3): Brisbane (l Raonic); ATP Masters 1000 Rome (l Thiem); ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (l Kyrgios) Hard-Court Summer (3-2) ATP Masters 1000 Montreal: 3rd Round (l Shapovalov) ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati: Quarter-finals (l Kyrgios) 2017 in Review • Tournament Note: Appearing in 6th US Open SF (3-2), first since 2013, and has won 3 SFs in a row since losing SF matches in 2008-09.