Rafael Nadal turned on the style to crush fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo in the quarter-finals of the US Open. Robredo had beaten Dan Evans and 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer en route to the last eight. However he was completely blown away as Nadal stormed to a 6-0 6-2 6-2 victory. Richard Gasquet defied his mental demons with a superb victory over David Ferrer to reach the semi-finals. The Frenchman is one of the most talented players on tour but too often his nerve has failed him in big matches. Having dominated the first two sets on a glorious New York day, Gasquet looked set to suffer another heartbreaking loss when fourth seed Ferrer fought back to level the match. But this time it was Gasquet who came good in the decider to clinch a 6-3 6-1 4-6 2-6 6-3 victory after three hours and 23 minutes. Of Gasquet’s last six five-set defeats at grand slams, five of them have come after he was two sets up. Gasquet has lost all 10 of his professional matches against the Spaniard, who is just two weeks older. “The last time I beat him I was 13 years old,” the Frenchman said with a smile. “I beat him one time in my life.”
