Tournament: US Open 2016
Date: 7 September, Wednesday
Time: 9am SGT (Thursday)/ 6:30am IST (Thursday)/2am BST (Thursday)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York
TV Channel: Eurosport will provide live TV coverage in Singapore
Live Updates: Live Scores can be tracked on US Open's official website
Overview:
Stanislas Wawrinka has set up a mouth-watering clash in the quarter-final of the 2016 US Open against Juan Martin del Potro.
The third seed will have to be at his best against del Potro as the world number 142 has been in rich vein of form since his comeback from wrist injuries that have haunted his career. The Argentine, who knocked out Wawrinka in the second round of 2016 Wimbledon, has not dropped a set yet at the Flushing Meadows.
Del Potro opened his US Open campaign beating compatriot Diego Schwartzman before cruising to victories against top-ranked American Steve Johnson and Spaniard David Ferrer in straight sets. The right-hander did not have to work much in the fourth round as his opponent Dominic Thiem withdrew during the second set of the match.
After missing out on most of 2015 season due to the wrist injury, the former world number four is gearing up to emulate his title-winning 2009 US Open run to add to his Rio Olympic Silver this season. Del Potro looked in fine form at the quadrennial event in Brazil as he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic enroute to the Men's singles final.
Unperturbed by his troublesome wrist, del Potro believes he can bring his best against Wawrinka.
"I had a great memories from 2009, but I am a completely different person now. I am enjoying even more when I get into the courts than years ago. I just want to play tennis in front of the big crowds. I'm so excited to still be winning matches and maybe be in the top positions in the future," he was quoted as saying by US Open's official website.
"I am playing matches every day. My wrist responds in the good way. I have to hit my backhand even better than today for my next match. But I'm okay with my level. I'm hitting good forehands. My serve is working good."
Wawrinka, on the other hand, is looking good to cement his place in the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals. He sealed the US Open last-four spot for the fourth consecutive time after hard-fought matches against Daniel Evans and Illya Marchenko in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.
The two-time grand slam winner is not looking too much into del Potro's run in 2016 but is wary of his opponent's strong backhand.
"Del Potro coming back from injury, playing really well again. If I look now the way he's playing on hard court, against Ferrer, against all the other players in the Olympics, his backhand is strong. He's returning. He doesn't use the slice as much as he did on grass," Wawrinka said after his fourth-round match on Monday.
It will be a test of physical strength when the two men take the court in an evenly-matched contest on Wednesday. While Wawrinka would want to assert he is still part of the Fab Five, injury-prone del Potro will be hoping to prove a point to himself.
