Rafael Nadal overcame a spirited challenge from Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman to win 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in the US Open quarter-finals on Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, staying on course for a fourth title at Flushing Meadows and 19th major championship to move within one of Roger Federer’s all-time record.
The second-seeded Spaniard squandered double-break leads in the first and second sets, but recovered to win each of them with exquisite shotmaking and his trademark steel before closing out the match after two hours and 47 minutes.
“When he is under confidence he’s very difficult to stop,” Nadal said after reaching the semi-finals of a major tournament for the 33rd time. “Of course I made some mistakes, but I’m super happy the way I accepted the situation and I accepted the challenge. Here I am in the semi-finals. It’s super important to me. It means everything.”
