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Nadal feeling ready to end US Open wait

Rafael Nadal is playing without injury © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal is in bullish mood ahead of Saturday's semi-final with Mikhail Youzhny, claiming he has never had a better chance of winning the US Open.

Nadal has reached the last four in New York for the third consecutive year, having lost to Andy Murray in 2008 and Juan Martin Del Potro in 2009. The Spaniard has been sensational during the current campaign, dropping his serve just once during the entire fortnight.

Youzhny has beaten Nadal in the US Open before, back in 2006, but he has a losing 4-7 record against the world No. 1. And Nadal, who would meet Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic in the final, insists his body is finally ready to clinch the only Grand Slam to have eluded him in his career.

"I think in 2008 I was ready to - if we speak about the level of tennis - I think I was ready to do something very important here," Nadal said. "But mentally I was destroyed in that moment of the season.

"I had won Roland Garros and at Wimbledon for the first time, victory in Toronto, semi-finals in Cincinnati, Beijing (Olympic) champion...I think I started that match in the semi-finals against Andy (Murray) without energy. Without energy it is impossible to have any chance to win one semi-final.

"Last year, nothing to say, because I played against an unbelievable player like Del Potro. He was playing at an amazing level, but at the same time I had a three-centimetre abdominal tear. It was very painful and for me it was one of the greatest results of last year, being in the semi-finals here with my abdominal tear.

"This year I know how important the US Open is for me right now and I know I have to arrive to this tournament fresh if I want to have any chance to have a very good result. That's what I tried. I think I did. I am at the right round without problems, so that's very positive."

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