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NEW YORK (AP) — Frances Tiafoe ended Rafael Nadal’s 22-match successful streak at Grand Slam tournaments by beating the 22-time main champion, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, within the U.S. Open’s fourth spherical on Monday.
Tiafoe is a 24-year-old from Maryland who’s seeded twenty second at Flushing Meadows and reached the second main quarterfinal of his profession.
He’s the youngest American man to get that far on the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2006, however this was not a case of a one-sided crowd backing considered one of its personal. Nadal is about as well-liked because it will get in tennis and heard loads of help in Arthur Ashe Stadium as the quantity raised after the retractable roof was shut within the fourth set.
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Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts throughout his match towards Frances Tiafoe of the USA throughout their fourth-round match on the U.S. Open in New York on Sept. 5, 2022.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Photographs)
“I do not even know what to say proper now. I am past blissful. I am unable to imagine it,” stated Tiafoe, who faces No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev subsequent. “He is one of many biggest of all time. I performed unbelievable tennis as we speak, however I do not even know what occurred.”
Here is what occurred: Tiafoe served higher than No. 2 seed Nadal. Extra surprisingly, he returned higher, too. And he stored his cool, remained within the second and by no means let the stakes or the opponent get to him. Nadal had gained each of their earlier matches, and each set they performed, too.
“Effectively carried out for him,” Nadal stated. “He was higher than me.”
This shock got here a day after considered one of Tiafoe’s friends, Nick Kyrgios, eradicated No. 1 seed and defending champion Daniil Medvedev.
Nadal gained the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. Then he made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon in July earlier than withdrawing from that match due to a torn stomach muscle; that doesn’t go into the books as a loss as a result of he pulled out earlier than the match.
The 36-year-old from Spain competed solely as soon as within the 1 1/2 months between leaving the All England Membership and arriving in New York whereas recovering from that damage. His play has not been as much as his traditional requirements on the U.S. Open, which he has gained 4 occasions, significantly his serve.
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts throughout his match towards Frances Tiafoe of the USA throughout their fourth-round match on the U.S. Open in New York on Sept. 5, 2022.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Photographs)
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Nadal tweaked his service movement, tossing the ball decrease than he usually does in order to not put as a lot pressure on his midsection whereas reaching together with his racket. There have been loads of indicators Monday that his serve is simply not in tip-top form: 9 double-faults, a first-serve proportion hovering round 50%, 5 breaks by Tiafoe.
The subsequent-to-last break got here for a 4-3 edge within the fourth set when Nadal put a backhand into the online, and Tiafoe skipped backward towards the sideline for the following changeover, his fist raised. Fifteen minutes later, Tiafoe broke once more, and it was over.
When one final backhand by Nadal discovered the online, Tiafoe put his arms on his head. When he sat in his sideline chair, he buried his face in a towel.
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts throughout his match towards Frances Tiafoe of the USA throughout their fourth-round match on the U.S. Open in New York on Sept. 5, 2022.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Photographs)
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There have been indicators of hassle for Nadal earlier within the match. He misplaced the primary set of his first-round match. Did the identical within the second spherical, when he additionally unintentionally reduce the bridge of his nostril and made himself dizzy when the sting of his racket body bounced off the court docket and caught him within the face on a backhand follow-through.
