Green machine: Rafael Nadal on the verge of joining an elite clubRafael Nadal will proudly reserve a place at the high table of tennis if he wins the US Open here this evening.
Nadal's arrival in his first US Open final, secured with a blistering 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over Mikhail Youzhny at Flushing Meadows yesterday, offers him the chance to put his name on the one trophy to have eluded him in his career.
Only six other men - Don Budge, Fred Perry, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer - have won all four major championships in Melbourne, Paris, Wimbledon and the Big Apple.
The Spaniard, 24, illustrated his elation by reacting to Youzhny's final mistake, athletically jumping into the air and throwing a punch in mid-flight.
As Nadal accepted the acclaim of the crowd, he graciously acknowledged that he had been at work, enjoying himself, on a date in history with far more reaching consequences for the world.
'This is a special day for everybody and I offer my support to the victims of 9/11,' said Nadal.
Youzhny, 28, also paid his respects by wearing a black armband on the ninth anniversary of the day terrorists flew hijacked planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.
America's national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was greeted with particular pride by the near-24,000 capacity crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But the people of this city, of this country, viewed it important nine years ago to go about their business as normal, and this anniversary was commemorated with a carnival of tennis on a day they call Super Saturday, involving two men's semi-finals and the final of the women's championship between Kim Clijsters and Vera Zvonareva, staged under floodlights.
Frustrated: Mikhail Youzhny was blown away by Nadal's powerNadal's charm in victory established the perfect tone. He has created the summer of his dreams, winning the French Open, then Wimbledon with a game, and a personality, that has won admiration around the world.
And he has reached the final here without dropping a set in six matches. Such superiority gives him an opportunity to become the first player to win in Paris, Wimbledon and New York in the same summer since Laver accomplished the feat in 1969, the year the Australian, known as the Rockhampton Rocket, won the Grand Slam.
Nadal made light of Youzhny in 2hr 13min, to earn the luxury of being able to put his feet up to watch the second semi-final between Federer and Novak Djokovic, played late last night.
Nadal reclaimed the world No 1 ranking from Federer after he won the French Open for a fifth time at Roland Garros, in late May.
It has not proved to be a burden to him. He has run for every ball, and contested each point he has played from the moment he walked on to the premises; an object lesson for Andy Murray to absorb.
Talent alone, if not allied to an uncompromising work ethic, will go unrewarded while men like Nadal and Federer command the high ground in this game.
'I'm very happy,' Nadal said through the public address system. 'You make me feel every day like I am at home!'
source: dailymail
