Rafael Nadal: Will Nadal Have Enough in Tank to Win US Open Title?

With his play over the last couple of days, Rafael Nadal has calmed fears that his body was breaking down from all the miles he had put on it.

The cramping incident in the press conference seemed to be a freak happening and nothing more and the ankle and foot injuries that he has been dealing with off and on since Wimbledon haven't flared up in any big way.

Now that the injury worries are behind him, there is a new roadblock on Nadal's path to the championship.

Thanks to rain, Nadal will have to win four matches in five days to come out with the trophy in the end. Even if he is in perfect health, that's a tall order. You have to wonder if his body, which is put through a lot with Nadal's physical style, has enough left in the tank to get him through two more rounds of tennis. 

Of course, Nadal's opponent, Andy Murray has had to deal with this obstacle as well. Murray's schedule is condensed thanks to the rain and he has actually had longer, more arduous matches here at the US Open.

He outlasted Robin Haase in five sets and he bested American John Isner in a grueling four-set match.

It's just that Nadal's style of play seems so much more taxing on the body. He plays every single point like it's match point and sliding on hard courts can't be good for the ankles. Each match, no matter how quick, has to take a real toll on his body.

The semifinal match between Nadal and Murray promises to be a classic. Both players are playing well and their styles tend to be conducive to putting on great matches with one another. They both play great defense, so winners on the ground will be hard to come by.

If this match goes deep into a fourth set or into a fifth set, it will be interesting to see which player looks fresher. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if it's Andy Murray.