US Open: Rafael Nadal Sets Up Final Match Against Daniil Medvedev

Rafael Nadal engaged the best of his skill against Matteo Berrettini and took a giant stride into the US Open final for his fifth career appearance and will face Russian player Daniil Medvedev in the contest for the trophy. 

Berrettini battled through a five-setter quarter-final match against Gael Monfils to reach the US Open semi-final for the first time and was denied making it through to his career first Grand Slam final as the 2nd seed thrashed him in three sets, 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-1.

Nadal faced no breakpoints against the Italian whilst he converted 4-in-16 break point advantage, but acknowledged had him as the "greatest fighter ever in the sport" before the match kicked off, and Berrettini did prove that position in a fierce opening set fight against the Spaniard. 

The fully crowded Arthur Ashe witnessed an early onslaught from Berrettini at the opener taking an early break for a 4-0 lead in the tiebreak but dropped the set to the Spaniard who broke back and denied him of a much-needed set point at 6-4 to three straight-set points to win the opener. 

By the second set, Berrettini's momentum has begun to drop, yet was resilient to the Spaniard's forehand groundstrokes that kept him at the baseline. Nadal broke the set for a two sets lead when the Italian hit wide a forehand return. 

It was both players first career meeting and Nadal who takes the lead said in admission, "The first set was a little frustrating because I had a lot of free points and you don't want to be in the tie-break against a player like him."   

Nadal has already won three US Open title and Medvedev will be in for the match of his career in Flushing Meadows where the winner will be decided between the two on Sunday