Del Potro prevails from tussle

Juan Martin Del Potro booked his place in the semi-finals of the US Open, battling back from a set down to defeat Marin Cilic in New York. Playing his first match on the big stage of Arthur Ashes Stadium at Flushing Meadows, sixth-seeded del Potro overcame a slow start to dispatch Cilic in four sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

"It's so beautiful playing in front of this crowd," del Potro said. "I'm so happy it happened this way." The Argentine admitted to being distracted by the blustery conditions in the opening set, allowing Cilic to make the first break. The 20-year-old was one set and 3-1 down before refocusing to win the match in 2 hours and 33 minutes under ominously dark skies. "I don't know how I turned it around but I kept fighting until the end," del Potro said.

"This weather is very tough for both players but I was so focused on my serve and I never missed easy balls and that's what gave the match because Marin was playing very well. "Always when you play an important match like today you feel nervous and I did two double faults and sent some in the net to lose the first set but now I'm very happy." He will be hoping for a better start in today's semi-final where he'll face either Rafal Nadal or 2007 Australian Open runner-up Fernando Gonzalez.

Nadal, the No 3 seed, and the 11th seed Gonzalez were delayed by rain during their quarter-final clash on Thursday. "I cannot start the match like today," said del Potro, "I was thinking about other things, and the weather was bad. But it was bad for both players. I just need to be in focus in the beginning of the match until the last point and play my game." The youngster now looks forward to his first Open semi-final since defeat to Roger Federer at last year's French Open, where he let a 2-1 set lead slip from his grasp.

"Well, I learn many things. I was so close to beating him," continued del Potro, recalling his disappointment last summer. "I have everything to learn, you know. I want to be a good player in the future." Since defeat in France, del Potro has shown huge improvements to his game and finished Thursday's match with only 24 unforced errors, 29 fewer than Cilic. Cilic, who upset No 2 seed Murray on Tuesday, had began the match in fighting form taking advantage of a distracted del Potro to race to a one set lead.

The Croatian could not keep the Argentine at bay for long, however, finding himself overpowered by his rejuvenated opponent in the second set. "He was not missing," said Cilic. "Andy, he doesn't have as much power as del Potro has." A grand slam semi-final spot also allows del Potro to regain his world No 5 spot from Andy Roddick, who crashed out in the third round after losing to John Isner. [e-mail]