Past world No. 1 Rafael Nadal will face Fernando Gonzalez during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open later today.

After a diversity of issues that he might not be fully recovered from a knee wound that kept him sidelined for the majority of of the summer, he has proven critics mistaken with some great play during the first four rounds of the tournament.

Nadal’s knee injury required him to miss Wimbledon in July, a tournament that he won in 2008. Unable to defend his finals and having missed some other events, Nadal lost his world’s #1 status to Roger Federer, who took advantage of Nadal’s hiatus with a win at Wimbledon.

Nadal additionally lost the world’s number ranking to Andy Murray, however recaptured it with his 4th round win at the US Open two nights ago.

Nadal has seemed to be performing at near his top echelon in this tournament as he outdid Frenchman Gael Monflis in four |sets in the 4th round, looking as quick as ever during the match.

Gonzalez, however, beat another Frenchman, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the fourth round.

Gonzalez has beaten Nadal once prior to this, at the quarterfinals of the 2007 Aussie Open, but given the way Nadal has played in the US Open, he must be greatly convinced about securing a place in the final four..

Nadal took fans of the sport by surprise this past season when he won Wimbledon for the 1st time. Nadal backed up that triumph by winning the gold medal at the Summer Games for singles. He proceeded to finish the season as number one in the world for the 1st time in his career.

The U.S. Open is the only critical slam missing from Nadal’s glowing resume, and looking at his current form, it would take a brave person to wager vs Nadal winning in Flushing this weekend.

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