US Open Fab 4: Nadal-Murray,Federer-Djokovic

Fourth-seeded Murray won a four-set grind against 28th-seeded John Isner,7-5,6-4,3-6,7-6 (2) that took 3 hours,24 minutes.

No 2 Nadal had a much easier time,handing slow-moving No. 21 Andy Roddick a 6-2,6-1,6-3 defeat in 1 hour,53 minutes to emerge fresher heading into Saturday.

”I try my best,” Nadal said. “I don’t think about a short match for the quarterfinals. I think about trying to win the match.”

Saturday’s first semifinal pairs No. 1 Novak Djokovic against No. 3 Roger Federer in a rematch of their French Open semifinal,where Federer won to snap Djokovic’s 43-match winning streak. They both won their quarterfinals Thursday and rested while Nadal and Murray played Friday.

This marks the first time the top four seeds have filled the final four slots at the US Open since 1992,but the second time it has happened at a Grand Slam this year. At the French Open,Nadal beat Murray in one semifinal and went on to defeat Federer for his sixth title at Roland Garros.

“I think they’re pretty firmly the best players in the world right now,” Roddick said. “They certainly deserve the numbers next to their names. They’re playing great.”

Over the first six matches on his road to the US Open title last year,Nadal did not lose a set. He is on the same pace through five matches this year.

Though Roddick needed two visits from the trainer and was clearly showing signs of fatigue from a four-set win the day before,Nadal did his part by never giving the 2003 champion even a glimmer of hope.

The most impressive statistic was Nadal’s 22 winners from the forehand side,compared to none for Roddick.

“I think I am playing well since the second round,” Nadal said. “I’m very happy about this US Open. Doesn’t matter. I will try my best to be in the final. But even if I lose tomorrow,I am happy about my US Open. Wasn’t an easy situation for me coming to this tournament after having a not easy summer for me.”

Since winning the French Open,Nadal has lost his No. 1 ranking to Djokovic,along with a number of matches he would have often been expected to win.

He has won a total of 12 of 16 matches against Murray,who is the only one of the semifinalists still without a Grand Slam trophy.

So far,Murray has spent 13 hours,6 minutes on court in five rounds,compared to 10:50 for Nadal.

“I think on the American hard courts,it’s a close,close matchup,” Murray said.

Federer is 14-9 against Djokovic,though he lost to the Serb last year at Flushing Meadows. Federer conceded that the thought of having to turn around and play Nadal the next day did creep into his mind while that match was going on.

“Still should have won the match maybe,but it’s just a tough prospect,” Federer said. “You never have it that we have to play back-to-back,best-of-5 matches and only here before the final at the US Open. It just somehow doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.”

But Federer won’t have to do it this time. There will be a day off before the Monday final,meaning Federer or Djokovic will end up playing three matches over five days,while the Nadal-Murray winner will play four in five. A big difference when it’s best-of-5. Djokovic,however,isn’t sympathetic.

“It has to be an advantage in some ways,” Djokovic said. “That’s the way it is. You can’t fight it. You can’t complain. It’s Mother Nature that doesn’t allow us.”

This year,instead of capping off Saturday’s men’s semifinals with the women’s final,there will be two women’s semifinals. Angelique Kerber plays No 9 Samantha Stosur and No 1 Caroline Wozniacki against No 28 Serena Williams,who is going for her 14th Grand Slam title. The winners of those matches play Sunday,which is when the men’s final was originally scheduled.