Nadal reaches semifinals after timeless classic
Rafael Nadal began his US Open quarterfinal as poorly as possible, shut out in a set by a 6-0 score for only the fourth time in 282 career Grand Slam matches.
On the previous three such occasions, he’d lost. On this one, he managed to come back to win, although it took 4 hours 49 minutes.
The defending champion and No 1 seed at Flushing Meadows recovered from his disastrous start and other stumbles along the way to beat No 9 Dominic Thiem 0-6 6-4 7-5 6-7 (4) 7-6 (5) for a semifinal berth at a third consecutive Grand Slam tournament, winning a physical, back-andforth tussle that stretched across and concluded after 2am New York time.
How tense and tight was this one? Not only was Nadal two points from losing at 5-5 in the closing tiebreaker, but he finished with fewer total points, 171-166.
When it ended, on an overhead by Thiem that sailed long, Nadal walked around the net to hug his opponent and whisper words of encouragement.
When Nadal makes it this far in New York, he usually doesn’t stumble. He has now won seven US Open quarterfinals in a row when he’s made it that far; his only loss in that round came back in 2006.
He is bidding for a fourth title at Flushing Meadows and 18th Grand Slam trophy overall.
In the semifinals, Nadal will take on a familiar foe with a berth in the final on the line: 2009 champion and No 3 seed Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated No. 11 John Isner 6-7 (5) 6-3 7-6 (4) 6-2.
In the women’s singles, Serena Williams overcame a slow start to beat Karolina Pliskova in straight sets and book a place in the semifinals for the 12th time.
The six-times champion delivered 13 aces, including one on match point, and hit 34 winners in a 6-4 6-3 victory.
Her last-four opponent is Latvian 19th seed Anastasija Sevastova, who recorded a shock win, and surprisingly comfortably, over defending champion Sloane Stephens 6-2 6-3.
Williams trailed by a break in the opening set and then was a point from going down a double break before she turned things around against the Czech eighth seed.
At one stage Williams won eight straight games to seize the momentum in the 1hr 25min contest and move to within two wins of claiming a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
Pliskova is the last woman to beat Williams at the US Open, eliminating her in the semifinals two years ago.
Williams missed the US Open a year ago, giving birth to her daughter during the tournament in September 2017.