After reaching his 23rd Grand Slam final at the US Open, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain said that staying healthy is much more important than winning titles.
Nadal fought back from one set down to defeat Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 in a hard fought semi-final here on Friday.
"If I win, I will be happy, but being healthy and feeling well and competitive is more important than winning Grand Slams," Nadal was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
"That's already happened in the whole season. So that's the most important thing for me."
Nadal seeks his third US Open title after 2010 and 2013 and his 16th career Grand Slam title when he takes on Kevin Anderson of South Africa in Sunday's final.
Anderson, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semi-final earlier on Friday, defeated Pablo Carreno-Busta of Spain 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.
"What is more important, more than winning Slams, is to be happy," Nadal said.
"I am very happy to win Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros. I am very happy to be in the final here in the US Open. And I am going to fight to win another title here. But still, a great season for me," the 31-year-old added.
"You need to win matches. If you practice well and you feel well, you have more chances to win."
--IANS
ajb/bg
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