Verdasco Makes Fantastic Finish; Nadal Races Past Lopez

© Getty ImagesFernando Verdasco celebrates his come-from-behind win over David Ferrer.

World No. 8 Fernando Verdasco rallied from two sets down for just the second time at a Grand Slam tournament to prevail over 10th-seeded David Ferrer 5-7, 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(4) in a fourth-round Spanish classic Tuesday night at the US Open.

Verdasco continuously needed to fight for survival throughout the four-hour, 23-minute match after losing the opening two sets, conceding an early service break in the fifth set, and falling behind in the decisive tie-break.

With Ferrer holding a 4-1 lead in the fifth set tie-break, Verdasco turned momentum in his favour to win the final six points. He punctuated his victory with an electrifying shot on match point, scrambling from deep behind the court to chase down a drop shot, and sending his forehand return just around the net post in front of the umpire’s chair for a perfectly placed winner.

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The 26-year-old Madrid native improved to a 13-8 record in matches decided in a fifth set, including his win over Italian Fabio Fognini in first-round action, while Ferrer fell to the same mark. It marked the second time this season that 2007 semi-finalist Ferrer had lost his match after holding a two-sets lead, also falling to Marcos Baghdatis in Australia this past January.

Verdasco is through to the US Open quarter-finals for a second straight year and next faces Rafael Nadal. It marks the first time in the Open Era that two Spaniards will be facing off the US Open quarter-finals.

Verdasco, who lost to Novak Djokovic at the US Open last year, will be looking to reach his second Grand Slam semi-final. He and Nadal fought for a place in the 2009 Australian Open final, with Verdasco double-faulting on his countryman's third match point after five hours and 14 minutes of play.

World No. 1 Nadal has a 10-0 record against Verdasco. The top seed, dressed in an all-black outfit, wrapped up a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Spanish compatriot and No. 23 seed Feliciano Lopez in a little over two hours. He is yet to drop a set or his serve at Flushing Meadows this year.

"I was ready for the late start and the hardest thing was for the fans to be here," said Nadal, who won 90 per cent of first serve points. "This year I am healthy and hope to continue to play well and have my chances. To be in quarter-finals of the US Open without losing a set and without losing a serve, two things must work really well: the concentration and the serve."