Nadal survives an epic battle
WORLD No.1 and defending champion Rafael Nadal came back from a set and break down to defeat big-hitting Karen Khachanov 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3) and reach the US Open fourth round on Friday.
The top-seeded Spaniard triumphed after an epic fourhour 23-minute struggle on Arthur Ashe Stadium in a match where the 22-year-old Khachanov had served for a two sets to nil lead in the 10th game of the second set and had a set point in the fourth-set tiebreaker.
Nadal, seeking a fourth US Open title and 18th major, will face Georgia’s world number 37 Nikoloz Basilashvili for a place in the quarter-finals.
Basilashvili reached the last 16 of a Slam for the first time by seeing off Argentina’s Guido Pella 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7/4).
“Karen played well. He’s improving always. He’s young. He has everything. I really see him winning a lot of matches in his career,” said Nadal who has reached the fourth round in New York for the 10th time.
“For me personally, it was a physical, demanding match. It was mentally demanding.” Khachanov, 22, and bidding to make the last 16 of a Slam for the third time this year, took the opener while Nadal, who converted just one of five break points in the set, needed strap- ping to support his right knee in the changeover.
“I am going to be at 100 per cent for the next match,” explained Nadal. The top seed was quickly down 3-1 in the second set before battling back to 4-4. Khachanov cracked when serving for a two sets lead in the 10th game.
Nadal took advantage with a love service game and a break to level the contest just after the roof was closed.
A thrilling tiebreak settled the third set with Nadal clinching it after a lung-busting 39shot rally on a fifth set point.
South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, who was runner-up to Nadal last year, outlasted Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 as the roof on the new Louis Armstrong Stadium was closed for the first time.
The fifth seed, runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, next faces ninth-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem, who made the last 16 for the fourth time in five years with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 victory over American Taylor Fritz.
John Isner, the last American man standing, fired 34 aces, 85 winners and saved the three break points he faced in beating Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (10/8), 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 7-5.
He will face Milos Raonic who put out 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-3.