Nadal and Roddick turn attentions to quarter-final

 

Originally published on: 09/09/11 13:31

Amidst rumbles of a revolution at the US Open, Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick will put all thoughts of player power on the backburner and channel their aggression into their strokes when they meet later today.

Clashing for the tenth time and just the second time at a Grand Slam, the defending champion has won four of their last five battles – and six of nine overall – but was defeated on the pair’s only meeting at a major tournament in New York in 2004.

“Andy is a fantastic player,” said Nadal of the man who beat him in straight sets – and bagelled him in the first – at the US Open seven years ago. “He’s having one of the best careers, being [amongst] the top players for, I don’t know, 11 years, 10 years, 9 years. That’s a lot. That’s amazing.

“I have big respect for Andy, especially because it’s very tough to be there for a long time – and he did,” added Nadal. “It will be a big test for me playing against him. It’s gonna be a very difficult match.”

On his best Grand Slam run since reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open way back in 2010, Roddick fired past David Ferrer to secure his first quarter-final at the US Open since 2008, and is equally aware of the task he must complete to secure a place in the last four.

“I’m going to have to play pretty aggressively now, similar to what I did [against Ferrer],” said Roddick, adding: “He’s one of the greatest ever, so I’m gonna have to have a repeat at least.”

Roddick and Nadal take to court after the conclusion of Andy Murray’s battle with John Isner on Arthur Ashe, due to begin at 5pm BST.

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