Tennis: Nadal defeats fellow Spaniard Verdasco to set up semi with Youzhny

Rafael Nadal moved a step closer to a potential Sunday showdown with Roger Federer after advancing to the semi-finals of the US Open for the third year in succession.

Nadal beat fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in their quarter-final at Flushing Meadows and will now face Russia's Mikhail Youzhny in tomorrow's semi-finals.

Youzhny came from two sets to one down to beat Stanislas Wawrinka - the conqueror of Andy Murray - 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in last night's other quarter-final, while five-time champion Federer faces Novak Djokovic in the remaining semi-final.

Nadal, who needs to win on Sunday to complete the career Grand Slam, said: "It's a very, very nice feeling to be in the semi-finals for the third time in a row in one of the most important tournaments in the world - for me probably the most important right now.

"I knew Fernando had a really tough match two days ago (coming back from two sets down to beat David Ferrer) so he was probably a bit tighter than normal." Earlier in the day, Youzhny reached the second Grand Slam semi-final of his career, beating Wawrinka in a match lasting exactly four hours. Wawrinka, who had spent 12 hours and 27 minutes on court simply to reach the quarter-finals, said: I tried to fight but it was too much."