Nadal’s touch of genius wows Woods

Tiger Woods attended the US Open on Monday night as a guest of Rafael Nadal, and was able to applaud one of the shots of the tournament as the Spaniard moved into the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Marin Cilic.

This memorable moment was late to arrive, coming on the penultimate point of the match. A sharply angled Cilic volley pushed the sprinting Nadal so wide that he had to scoop a backhand around the net post and into the open court.

Woods could be seen celebrating wildly after the shot, while Nadal held up both fists and arched his back in exultation. These two have long shared a mutual admiration and Nadal was a spectator in April when Woods claimed his fairy-tale comeback victory at the Masters.

“It means a lot to me to have him supporting,” Nadal said after the match. “He is an amazing inspiration, all the things he has accomplished in the sport, the way he managed to keep fighting that hard.

“To have him supporting and be able to be in touch with him often is something that I am super happy [about] and I hope one day we can play golf and tennis together.”

While Nadal may have dropped a set for the first time in the tournament, he responded forcefully to that minor reverse and produced some magnificent hitting towards the latter stages. He will start as a strong favourite against Diego Schwartzman, the diminutive Argentine who ousted Alexander Zverev the same evening.

In seven meetings, Nadal has never lost to Schwartzman, but the underdog did not sound dispirited. Asked how he planned to change the narrative, Schwartzman replied: “Hit hard to the lines.”

Last night, Daniil Medvedev beat Stan Wawrinka 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.