Top seed Rafael Nadal breezed past 12th seeded Mikhail Youzhny in three sets to reach his first career US Open final on Saturday.
The Spaniard smacked longshot Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, setting up a final clash against the match winner of another semifinal between second seed Roger Federer and third seed Novak Djokovic.
Nadal broke Youzhny twice in the first set and once in the second. In the third, Youzhny managed his sole break, but to see his serves broken twice. Nadal made a 20 straight Grand Slam victories so far.
With Australian Open, Wimbledon Open, French Open and Olympics champion captured, Nadal has never had a chance to add "U.S. Open champion" to the list.
Nadal used his trademark shotmaking, his new blistering serve to overwhelm an opponent and reach his first ever final in Flushing Meadows.
Youzhny, who needed over four hours to win his five-set quarterfinal match against Stanislas Wawrinka on Thursday, looked gassed from the outset and rarely pressured Nadal. The 12th-seeded Russian was competing in his second U.S. Open semifinal. He beat Nadal in 2006 to reach that round.
Youzhny finally showed signs of life in the third set when he broke Nadal to get back on serve at 4-4. But the success was short- lived as Nadal broke right back and served out the match.
Nadal, known for his physically demanding style of play, has always been hampered one way or another by the time he gets to the U.S. Open. Injuries and fatigue over the course of the year have tended to catch up with him ahead of the year's final Slam.