Rafael Nadal the favourite as US Open 2013 heads into the semis
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Even the slightest traces of sluggishness that defined his body language in what was, at least as far he was concerned, a forgettable match have vanished and the Rafaela Nadal, who can, with his nimble foot work, retrieve the ball back from the farthest corners of the court is back in business. It has not been all smooth sailing for Nadal this year.He played some of his best tennis to beat Novak Djokovic in a tennis match of the highest quality in the semi-final of the French Open. Once his tormentor-in-chief was safely out of the way, Nadal dispatched David Ferrer in the final of the same with consummate ease to complete the formalities to clasp his hands around an eighth French Open trophy. However, he failed to carry the same form into the hallowed lawns of Wimbledon. In what was one of the most gigantic upsets of the tournaments, along with a whole host of others, Nadal was undone by an unheralded Belgian in Steve Darcis. But, the defeat only served to spur him on and like a wounded tiger, who hunts for his prey with a vengeance, Nadal was back on the tennis courts strutting like the king he was.The exit at Wimbledon seemed to have had an almost reenervating effect on Nadal. Nadal was in demolition mode as he went past one player after the other in the build up to the US Open. Even Andy Murray, who was heady from the success at Wimbledon, was not spared the wrath of Nadal's racquet. Coming into the US Open on the back of three consecutive tournaments in ATP events, Nadal was clearly one of the overwhelming favourites to win the title.Considering the imperious form that he has displayed throughout the tournament, the loss of one set to Philipp Kohlschreiber notwithstanding, he is clearly the favourite to lift the trophy this year. With the possibility of a Nadal-Djokovic showdown in the final looming larger with each match, the spectators at the US Open will hope that the two legends put on a show similar to that of their Australian Open final in 2012.He faces the incredibly gifted but under-performing Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the semi-final. The last time Gasquet registered a victory against Nadal, Pete Sampras was still number one in Tennis and the world (by and large) had not heard of Roger Federer. The year was 1999 and both Nadal and Gasquet were teenagers. The Frenchman has never defeated Nadal as a professional and going purely by the raging form that the Spaniard is in at the moment, theodds of Gasquet disturbing Nadal's squeaky clean record against the Spaniard seem as long as the Mount Everest. Gasquet's fantastic backhand has been the envy of many in professional tennis for close to half a decade now but few would envy his rather modest tour record. Talent, off and by itself serves little purpose until the person who wields it succeeds in realising it.To Nadal, a victory at the US Open would be an apposite end to what has been a roller-coaster of a year.
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