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#2: Mental edge over his opponents
Nadal boasts of a healthy 11-5 lead over Del Potro. Further, he beat Del Potro at the same stage last year. Adding that to his two wins over the Argentine at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Nadal will be raring to go for a win. Moreover, his recent Monte Carlo win over Kei Nishikori and the fact that Nishikori is often found fatigued in the later stages of a big tournament will help him gain a sizable lead over the Japanese.
Against Djokovic, it's a lot more complicated than that. The Serb is one of the very few players on tour who has a clear mental edge over Nadal. Why would Nadal feel confident against Djokovic then, should they meet in the final? It's because Djokovic has never quite lived up to his potential at US Open.
Since his 2011 win, he lost the final to Andy Murray in 2012, to Nadal in 2013 and to Stan Wawrinka in 2016. For all his epic wins at the Open, he has only two titles to show for it. Nadal meanwhile, is the defending champion and won their latest US Open match-up in 2013.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed in sports. But this could well turn out to be the deciding factor if Nadal and Djokovic face off for a record 53rd instalment of their esteemed rivalry.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
