Global News

Monday September 06, 2010

RAFAEL Nadal has conquered almost every tennis frontier he has surveyed - the French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon, Olympic Games and countless ATP World Tour plums.

The Spanish bull has a winning record against Roger Federer, the man with more grand slam singles titles to his credit than any other male in history.

But New York and chaotic Flushing Meadows, home to the US Open, has remained tantalisingly out of the Mallorcan's grasp.

Nadal has twice reached the semi-finals, but has seldom monstered the event as he has elsewhere.

Bizarrely, the left-hander is under pressure to deliver as he heads into this year's tournament, starting tomorrow.

He is not alone in that regard.

Think Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur.

The US Open is many things to many people but, in reality, it is the ultimate test of durability, skill and temperament.

Federer has reached the past six US Open finals, winning five and losing last season to Juan Martin del Potro, who is absent after wrist surgery.

If Federer is to reach a seventh consecutive final, he will will have to do it the hard way.

The Swiss could meet French Open nemesis Robin Soderling in the quarters.

Lleyton Hewitt looms in the third round. Djokovic is his expected semi-final hurdle.

Nadal is seeded to clash in the quarters with compatriot Fernando Verdasco, leaving Scot Andy Murray to face face Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych, and world No.3 Djokovic against No.6 Nikolay Davydenko. they, at least, are the projections.

New York has a habit of tossing up the incredible, the outrageous and the simply predictable. and sometimes all three at once.

Top women's seed Wozniacki could face 2006 champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round and '04 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarters.

Stosur is projected to clash with defending champion Kim Clijsters, Williams against French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and Jelena Jankovic against Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva.

Williams has not played since a Wimbledon quarter-final loss on June 29.

She is a huge query after spraining her left kneecap.

Hewitt, the 32nd seed and a $101 outsider at TAB Sportsbet, will open his campaign against Frenchman Paul Henri Mathieu.

Peter Luczak plays Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky and Carsten Ball has a qualifier.

Federer launches his campaign for a 17th major opens against Argentina's Brian Dabul with Germans Michael Berrer or Andreas Beck waiting in the second round.

Nadal will become only the seventh man to win all four majors if he can capture the title at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

He starts against Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvili with Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez or Uzbeki Denis Istomin awaiting in the second round.

Murray begins against Slovakia's Lukas Lacko with Jamaican Dustin Brown or Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in the second phase.

Jarmila Groth plays former world No.1 Maria Sharapova in the first round as fifth seed Stosur faces Russian Elena Vesnina.