Rafael Nadal has said that he would have preferred to play against someone other than Novak Djokovic in the final of the US Open.
The Spaniard will renew his rivalry with the world number one in Monday's final after beating Richard Gasquet in straight sets at Flushing Meadows.
When asked if he enjoys playing against the Serbian, Nadal replied: "I prefer to play against another one, but is what it is. At the end, well, we have to be honest, no? We don't have to be stupid.
"Talking about a final, I want to play against a player that I have more chances to win. But I play against him. I played against him a lot of times. Always we played very exciting matches.
"When you play, when you are involved in these kind of matches, you feel special. And at the end, even if I lost that final in Australia, I feel happy to be involved in that match."
Despite losing in Melbourne, Nadal exacted revenge in the semi-finals at Roland Garros before going on to capture an eighth title in Paris.
Michael Penkman
