New York: Eight years after losing to Juan Martin del Potro in the US Open final, Roger Federer locks horns again with the giant Argentine in New York still convinced he should have won the match which ended his five-year reign as champion.
Del Potro was just 20 years old when he downed the Swiss legend 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 but Federer believes that he was the dominant force in that 2009 showdown.
“The only time when he was really better, in my opinion, was the fifth set. Obviously that was good enough to beat me that day,” said Federer on Monday after seeing off Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 to set-up Wednesday’s quarter-final with Del Potro.
“I felt like that I left that match with a lot of regrets. Probably feels like one of those matches I would like to play over again.
“Feel like I would probably win it somehow because I should have been up maybe two sets to love.”
Federer leads Del Potro 16-5 in their head-to-head record although his win in Miami this year represented the first time the pair had met in four years.
Despite his disappointment at losing the 2009 championship match, Federer admits that having also defeated Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, Del Potro was overall a worthy winner.
The prospects of a first-ever Federer versus Nadal clash in US Open, that too in semi-finals, loomed as the latter advanced to his 32nd Grand Slam quarter-final and seventh US Open last-eight by defeating Ukraine’s 64th-ranked Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 for his 50th Open match win.
Federer said he was happy to see the likeable Del Potro back on tour and the feeling is mutual.
“I admire him, too. Everybody loves him,” said Del Potro.
“It’s going to be an interesting match to play. It will be the fitst time after eight years again in the central court of this tournament.
“I know how to play if I want to win, but always is a pleasure to play the greatest guy in history.”
Now the 28-year-old hopes to recover in time for Wednesday’s clash having needed to save two match points to defeat Dominic Thiem 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 in the fourth round on Monday.
The 15-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, who had not made the US Open last eight since capturing the 2013 title, will next face Russian 19-year-old Andrey Rublev, the youngest quarter-finalist since Andy Roddick in 2001.
Rublev could become the youngest US Open semi-finalist since Australian Lleyton Hewitt in 2000 and the youngest Slam semi-finalist since Nadal at the 2005 French Open on the way to his first major title.
“Of course if I can come back to 19, I take it,” Nadal said. “A lot more years to enjoy the tour, a lot more years to enjoy the life. Of course, better be 19 than 31.
“I always wanted to be young. Even when I was 8 years old, I was not very happy, when it was my birthday, to be 9. Still the same. I am 31 and I am not happy with my birthday, going to be 32.”
