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Rafael Nadal came through his first stern examination at the US Open to move a step closer to a maiden Flushing Meadows meeting with Roger Federer .
The Spanish second seed dropped a set for the first time in the tournament but still saw off 2014 champion Marin Cilic 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Nadal was clearly irritated when given a time violation as he served midway through the second set, and was broken moments later.
But the three-time champion quickly shrugged it off to march into the last eight, with a stunning around-the-net winner bringing up match point to the delight of an Arthur Ashe crowd which included Nadal's friend Tiger Woods.
"It's an easy shot to describe, but difficult to make," said Nadal. "I don't know, I think I followed the ball good because he had a good volley and I saw it.
US Open 2019 - best pictures Show all 64 1 /64US Open 2019 - best pictures US Open 2019 - best pictures Day one A plane comes in over the New York City skyline as seen from the Arthur Ashe Stadium
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day one The opening ceremony before the match of Serena Williams of the US against Maria Sharapova from Russia
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day One Cameron Norrie of Great Britain returns a shot during his men's singles first round match against Gregoire Barrere of France
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day one Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball to Serena Williams
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day one Roger Federer of Switzerland throws balls to members of the public after defeating Sumit Nagal
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day two Garbine Muguruza of Spain hits a return against Alison Riske
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day two Garbine Muguruza of Spain serves against Alison Riske
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day two Dominic Thiem of Austria against Thomas Fabbiano of Italy
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day three Novak Djokovic of Serbia receives treatment between games against Juan Ignacio Londero of Argentina
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day three Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Juan Ignacio Londero
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day three Serena Williams of the US celebrates her wictory against Caty McNally
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day three Serena Williams of the United States reacts during her Women's Singles second round match against Catherine McNally
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day three Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day four Taylor Townsend of the US reacts after winning against Simona Halep
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day four Coco Gauff of the US reacts to winning her match against Timea Babos of Hungary
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day four Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates after defeating Frances Tiafoe of the US
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day five Serena Williams of the United States reacts during of her Women's Singles round three match against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Naomi Osaka of Japan consoles Coco Gauff
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Naomi Osaka of Japan consoles Coco Gauff
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Rafael Nadal of Spain serves against Hyeon Chung of Korea
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Rafael Nadal from Spain serves to Hyeon Chung from Korea
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Hyeon Chung of South Korea hits a return to Rafael Nadal of Spain
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Gael Monfils of France celebrates after his match against Denis Shapovalov of Canada
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Nick Kyrgios of Australia reacts vs Andrey Rublev
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day six Andrey Rublev of Russia celebrates winning his Men's Singles third round match against Nick Kyrgios of Australia
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day seven Novak Djokovic retired from his US Open clash with Stanislas Wawrinka due to a left shoulder injury
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day seven Serena Williams of the United States celebrates after winning her Women's Singles fourth round match against Petra Martic of Croatia
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day seven Roger Federer made light work of David Goffin
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day seven Johanna Konta celebrates beating Karolina Pliskova on her way to the quarter-finals
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day seven Qiang Wang of China celebrates winning her Women's Singles fourth round match against Ashleigh Barty of Australia
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day eight Osaka struggled against Bencic
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day eight Osaka waves goodbye to the US Open fans
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day eight Rafael Nadal saw off Marin Cilic to reach the US Open last eight
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day eight Marin Cilic lost to Nadal in four sets after putting up a good fight
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day eight Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts as he plays against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day eight Alexander Zverev receives a code violation during his defeat by Diego Schwartzman
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a backhand against Grigor Dmitrov
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria falls as he plays Roger Federer of Switzerland
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria wins the quarterfinal match against Roger Federer of Switzerland
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts as he leaves the court after losing to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Daniil Medvedev of Russia hits a return to Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Daniil Medvedev of Russia (L) hugs Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland after defeating him in their Men's Singles Quarterfinal match
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Daniil Medvedev of Russia is interviewed on court after beating Stan Wawrinka
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine The sun sets behind the Manhattan skyline as Serena Williams of the United States faces Qiang Wang of China in a quarterfinal match
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Serena Williams of the US reacts after defeating Qiang Wang of China during their quarter-finals round match
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day nine Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Qiang Wang, of China, during the quarterfinals
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 10 Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory over Diego Schwartzman in the US Open quarter-finals
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 10 Matteo Berrettini celebrates after beating Gael Monfil to reach the semi-finals
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 10 Bianca Andreescu is through to the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 10 Belinda Bencic reached the last four of the US Open
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 11 Serena Williams came past Elina Svitolina to reach yet another US Open final
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 11 Bianca Andreescu beats Belinda Bencic in the semi-finals
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 12 Rafael Nadal reaches the final where he will play Daniil Medvedev
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 13 Bianca Andreescu arrives on court listening to music before the final
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 13 Bianca Andreescu reacts as she wins against Serena Williams of the during the women's singles final – her first grand slam title
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 13 Bianca Andreescu of Canada reacts as she wins against Serena Williams of the US during the Women's Singles Finals match
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 13 Bianca Andreescu poses with the trophy after she won against Serena Williams
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Bianca Andreescu of Canada poses with her trophy at the Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Daniil Medvedev of Russia wipes his face while playing Rafael Nadal
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, to win the men's singles final of the U.S. Open
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia during the men's final match
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during the men's Singles Finals match against Daniil Medvedev
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Rafael Nadal of Spain (L) celebrates his victory over Daniil Medvedev of Russia (R)
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US Open 2019 - best pictures Day 14 Rafael Nadal of Spain holds the trophy after his win over Daniil Medvedev
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"I ran fast to the ball and I saw at the last moment there would maybe be a small space on that side.
"I think it was the only way to win that point. I hit it well, but to hit that spot you need some luck."
It is a statistical quirk that Federer and Nadal, rivals across 15 years and 40 matches, have never met at the US Open.
But defending champion Novak Djokovic's exit has opened up the possibility of a box-office final between the pair.
Federer faces Grigor Dimitrov, a player he has beaten seven times out of seven, in the last eight.
Nadal will take on Diego Schwartzman after sixth seed Alexander Zverev ran out of steam in his bid to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
The 22-year-old had already played 14 sets in three matches before taking on Schwartzman in round four.
He took the first set but Argentinian Schwartzman hit back to win the next two.
Rafael Nadal saw off Marin Cilic to reach the US Open last eight (AFP/Getty) There was controversy when Zverev was given a point penalty after an audible obscenity, giving Schwartzman a 5-2 lead in the fourth.
Umpire James Keothavong had earlier issued a warning when Zverev smashed a ball away, but the German claimed he had not heard it.
"I mean, a code violation is fine. I didn't even argue that," he said. "But neither of us heard me getting a warning in the first place.
"So it was like, OK, a warning is fine, it's no problem, but why am I getting a point penalty?
Marin Cilic lost to Nadal in four sets after putting up a good fight (AP) "He said he gave me a warning before. I didn't hear it. Diego didn't hear it. Most of the crowd didn't hear it.
"OK, it happened. It happened. It's fine. I think the umpires next time should let me know about it."
Matteo Berrettini, the Italian 24th seed, roared through in straight sets against unseeded Andrey Rublev.
Russian Rublev had previously beaten seeded players Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios but he found Berrettini too strong, losing 6-1 6-4 7-6 (6).
Alexander Zverev receives a code violation during his defeat by Diego Schwartzman (Getty Images) He will play Frenchman Gael Monfils, who looks to be playing some of the best tennis of his flamboyant but injury-hit career this fortnight.
Monfils beat Spain's Pablo Andujar 6-1 6-2 6-2.
PA
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