The toughest mission: Who will meet in the US Open final?

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When Rafael Nadal finally finished a nearly five-hour climb into the US Open semifinals, he thought backward as much as ahead.

His victory over Dominic Thiem reminded him of Wimbledon, where he outlasted Juan Martin del Potro in five sets in the quarterfinals before Novak Djokovic edged him in a 10-8 fifth set in the next round.

"When you win or when you lose like this," Nadal said, "you come back home with the feeling that you did all the things that you can do."

Now, Nadal might have to face those same two players again to defend his title in Flushing Meadows.

Nadal would figure to have a tougher time in his fourth meeting with del Potro in the last five Grand Slam tournaments.

The two that preceded the Wimbledon classic were smoother victories, a semifinal route to the French Open title and a four-set win in last year's US Open semifinals when Nadal dominated the last three sets.

Djokovic admits 2018 US Open toughest mission

Novak Djokovic of Serbia presses a cold towel to his head in a quarter-final match against John Millman of Australia on day ten of the 2018 US Open. /VCG Photo

Novak Djokovic believes that the man who lifts the US Open trophy on Sunday will have truly earned the mantle of champion, describing the hot and steamy 2018 tournament as the "toughest" he has encountered.

Djokovic, the winner in 2011 and 2015, faces Kei Nishikori in Friday's semi-finals, his 11th successive appearance in the last four.

An eighth final is within reach and to achieve that, the 31-year-old expects Nishikori to make him sweat literally.

"From my experience, and I can only talk about myself, this has been definitely the toughest US Open in the last ten years that I have played, in terms of conditions," said the 13-time major winner.

Djokovic said he changed his shirt 10 times in his quarter-final victory over Millman in a match which was held up for more than six minutes at 2-2 in the second set when the Australian left the court to change his clothes.

Djokovic said the tournament needs to address the problem of air-conditioning in an arena which can hold almost 25,000 people.

The schedule of play in US Open day12. /Screenshot from US Open official website

The top-ranked Rafael Nadal will play third-seeded del Potro, and No. 6 seed Djokovic meets No. 21 Kei Nishikori on Friday night.

The two winners will meet in final on Sunday.

Source(s): AP ,AFP