By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday September 4, 2019

Three-time US Open champion Rafael Nadal fought past a resilient Diego Schwartzman and into his eighth US Open semifinal with a 6-4 7-5 6-2 victory on a muggy night in New York City.

The Spaniard needed to work extremely hard and even suffered some cramping in the second and third sets as he worked to fend off the pesky Argentine. Schwartzman, who dropped to 0-8 lifetime against Nadal, twice rallied from a double break down to level a set, but each time he did so he was unable to build on the momentum.

Nadal led 4-0 in the first before Schwartzman came back to 4-4. The Argentine dropped the final two games of the set.

In the second set Schwartzman rallied from 5-1 down to 5-5, but again he rain out of steam and dropped the last two games.

"I think I won many good points, but in important moments, I didn't feel really well today," Schwartzman said.

In the third set, with Nadal struggling with cramping arms and seeking the trainer, Nadal again took the initiative and reeled off the final four games to clinch the victory in two hours and 46 minutes.

When asked to describe Nadal as a fighter, Schwartzman said the following: “[He is] like a lion in the middle, you know, in the jungle, you know,” Schwartzman said. “He's a fighter. He knows how to play the important moments every single time. I played eight times, and every important moment he played better than me.”

Nadal finished the evening with 35 winners against 39 unforced errors. He was broken four times and converted 7 of his 13 break attempts.

Afterwards Nadal downplayed the physical issues that encountered during the match—he says he’ll be good to go on Friday when he meets Matteo Berrettini in the semifinals.

“I'm feeling good,” he said. “Today was very humid day, very heavy day. I had some cramps in the end of the second, and, yeah, first five games, six games of the third. And then I take some salt, that's all, and then was over. Well, the body is in good shape, I think. No, not big problems. Just of course now a little bit tired, long day, 1:30. Need to go to sleep. But I really believe that I going to be in good shape.”

Berrettini, who defeated Gael Monfils in five sets on Day Ten in New York, also had praise for Nadal’s fighting spirit.

“I think he's the greatest fighter ever in this sport,” Berrettini said. “It's unbelievable he's doing. I admire him, like, the way he's on the court, you know. Like his attitude is something that it's -- I think it's close to the perfection. He's always, like, 5-0, 40-Love down, he's always there. It's something that's not that easy to do. So bravo.”