Nadal would rather not play Federer at US Open
Most of the tennis-watching public is likely hoping to see Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal square off at the US Open for the first time.
The two have met 37 times in their careers, and 12 times combined at the other three Grand Slams, but somehow, a meeting in New York has continued to elude them. Nadal is 31 and Federer 36. Who knows how many more chances they'll get?
The longtime rivals are in the same half of the draw this year, and will meet in the semifinals if they can each manage to win their first five matches. Nadal, though, is feeling more practical than sentimental, and would prefer someone else take care of Federer for him.
"If I am in semifinals, I prefer to play against another one," Nadal told reporters Saturday, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "Is obvious, no? I am not that way (to want the matchup). Sounds very good, but the real thing, I prefer to play against another player, an easier one if it's possible."
Nadal comes in ranked No. 1 in the world, and still owns a 23-14 career head-to-head edge, but he's 0-3 against Federer this season, all on hard courts, and the last two weren't close. Seeing someone other than Federer in the semis would dramatically increase his chances of winning a third US Open title.
"I know you want to hear the other way, that I would love to play with him," Nadal said, plainly aware of the undying romanticism that surrounds his and Federer's shared history.
"No, of course I understand that (it's) gonna be great for our history. Is true that we played in all (the other) Grand Slam finals. We never played here and for sure this year we are not going to play in finals."
Federer, however, shares none of his rival's reservations about a potential maiden meeting in Flushing Meadows.
"We never played here in New York, so I think that would be fun for everybody involved," Federer said, according to Youngmisuk. "I mean, there is, like, I don't know, 60-plus players in between us that don't agree in our section that we should make it to the semis. We have our work cut out there.
"But, you know, I'd love to play Rafa here in New York. Hopefully it will be a night session. Hopefully that would be a great atmosphere and one again where we play great like at the Australian Open."