Paris and this year's French Open remain a painful memory for Juan Martin del Potro - one he hopes to have the chance to avenge in New York.

The giant Argentinean was two sets to one up and then serving at 3-3 in the fifth, but still dropped a cliffhanger to eventual tournament winner Roger Federer.

It was the 20-year-old's first appearance in a Grand Slam semifinal, but he is back in the last four at the US Open following an impressive 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 win over Croatia's Marin Cilic on Thursday.

He will play either third seed Rafael Nadal of Spain or Chile's Fernando Gonzalez with a possible revenge match against Federer awaiting in the final should the Swiss star defeat Novak Djokovic in the other semifinal.

Del Potro says he will relish the occasion if it comes to pass.

"I was so sad after that semi-final," he said.

"Well, I learn many things. I was so close to beating him, and it was my first semis.

"Now I have another opportunity to play another semi. I'm very, very focusing on my things, very relaxing."

Del Potro has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks over since he emerged in 2006 from the tennis centre of Tandil, which also produced Mariano Zabaleta and Juan Monaco.

He was the youngest player in the year-end top 200 in 2005, the youngest in the top 100 in 2006, the youngest in the top 50 in 2007 and the youngest in the top 10 in 2008.

This year, he broke into the top five in April and was ranked there for three months before slipping out to his current sixth ranking.

Del Potro enjoyed a good summer buildup to Flushing Meadows, winning in Washington and reaching the final in the Montreal Masters before running out of steam in the final against Andy Murray.

But he came into New York well-rested, having taken the next two weeks off and ready for what he has designated as his main target of the year.

"I like to play here in US and I like hardcourts. I like this tournament. I like everything. So, I work hard for this part of the year.

"The stadium, the crowds, the people, the city. Everything."

"My dream is to win this tournament. I'm so close to doing it but now I am focusing on the semis. Both players so tough for me and they will want to win like me."