Del Potro a doubt for Federer semi, Nadal surges on

JuanMartin del Potro could be forced out of his Shanghai Masters semi-finalyesterday against Roger Federer after the Argentine suffered a wristinjury in an awkward fall on court. In the other last-four showdownRafael Nadal will play Marin Cilic after the red-hot world number onehad to fight his way past Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3.Sixteenthseed Del Potro heroically clambered off the floor and from a set downto knock out Serbia’s Viktor Troicki 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.  But it came at acost and he was due to see a doctor straight after the match to see theextent of the damage to his left wrist, which has been operated on threetimes and badly disrupted his career. “I felt something wrong in thatmoment but I continued to play with slices to try to finish the match,but now it’s time to see what the MRI (scan) and also what the doctorsays,” Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, said.“I’m a littleworried but I know how to deal with all of these things as I have beenthrough them in the past, but I will see what the doctor says now andthen we will take a decision for tomorrow. Of course I would like toplay, I would like to be 100%, but we will see in a moment what’shappened.”The 29-year-old Argentine’s foot appeared to get stuck onthe floor and he crumpled down, landing on his left hand and bending itbackwards. He needed several minutes of medical attention and sat on achair at the back of the court, wincing in distress. Incredibly, hebroke the serve of the unseeded Troicki on his immediate return toaction. Swiss legend Federer booked his spot as he eased to a 7-5, 6-4victory over the unseeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet. Federer, the secondseed, has not dropped a set all week and he and old rival Nadal appearheaded on a collision course.“We all hope it’s a precaution morethan anything,” Federer said when learning that Del Potro was off to seethe injury assessed. “For me, at the end of the day, nothing changes,I’m ready to come out here tomorrow and see the match like it’s arevenge chance for the US Open,” Federer added, referring to when DelPotro beat him in the quarter-finals this summer in New York.Nadal,who has never won the Shanghai Masters, is chasing a seventh title in abrilliant season and a hat-trick of triumphs on the trot, having beencrowned US Open and China Open champion in recent weeks. The 16-timeGrand Slam winner saw off the Bulgarian Dimitrov in Beijing last weekbut suffered some hairy moments in getting the better of him again in anervy quarter-final played in overcast conditions.“Very happy, itwas a very tough match, both of us played a very high level of tennis,”said the 31-year-old Spaniard, the top seed. “I enjoyed it, a greatbattle between two players that are playing all the time very focusedand intense points. A lot of matches in a row winning and very happywith everything, let’s see what happens tomorrow. Just focus on holdingthat momentum.” Nadal edged in front when he got the break of servein the ninth game of the first set and there was nothing between him andhis good friend Dimitrov as they entered a tense second-set tie break.The Spaniard got the mini-break for a 3-0 lead in the tie break, butsixth seed scrapped back to level, and then stunned Nadal to clinch thetie break.Dimitrov sensed another opportunity in the fifth game of the third set, but Nadal survived the break point.Nadaltook the momentum into the next game to immediately break Dimitrov andfinally end the Bulgarian’s resolve. The Croatian fourth seed Cilic —who has defeated Nadal only once in five matches — beat unseededSpaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4.