Rafael Nadal outlasts Juan Martin del Potro in Wimbledon humdinger

ATP Tour

Rafael Nadal will face Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semi-final after the former beat Juan Martin del Potro in five sets.

It took four hours and 48 minutes to separate the two giants of tennis and in the end Nadal ended up the victor while his opponent ended up on the floor after the 17-time Grand Slam winner sealed the deal.

The Spaniard won 7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to set up a showdown with three-time Wimbledon winner Djokovic.

The only break of serve in the opening set came in the final game, game 12, while both players broke once in set two before Del Potro won the tie-breaker.

A single break of serve in game 10 earned the Argentine a two-set to one lead before Nadal stormed back to level it at two sets each after wearing down his opponent in set four.

They went toe-to-toe in the decider with both putting their booming forehands to good use, but Nadal always had the advantage thanks to his break of serve in game five.

Despite Del Potro going on the attack in an attempt to get the break back, Nadal held firm and served it out. And while he ended up raising his hands in the air to celebrate, Del Potro slumped to the floor after the final point.

In the other quarter-final, John Isner achieved a career-best Grand Slam result as he reached the semi-finals for the first time.

The American outgunned fellow big server and former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 6-3.

After no breaks of serve in the first two sets, Isner broke once in the third set and twice in the fourth to book his last-four date against Kevin Anderson.

South African Anderson came from two sets down to beat defending champion Roger Federer in a five-set thriller earlier in the day.

Juan Martin del Potro Rafael Nadal

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