Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Nadal, Isner make major comebacks
NEW YORK — As Rafael Nadal stood near the net after winning his first Grand Slam match in three months Monday at the U.S. Open, he unraveled the thick wrap of white tape protecting his all-important left wrist and then clutched at that arm with his right hand.
Sure, there were matches that provided more drama or surprises on Day 1 at Flushing Meadows.
There was 20th-seeded John Isner’s comeback from two sets down to edge 18-year-old Frances Tiafoe before a rowdy, standingroom-only crowd at the new Grandstand.
A first-round loss by Rio Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig. French Open champion Garbine Muguruza’s complaints about having trouble breathing after dropping the first set of a match she would go on to win in three.
Nothing, though, was as meaningful as how 14-time major champion Nadal’s wrist felt during and after a relatively straightforward 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Denis Istomin.
The good news, Nadal said afterward, is that the pain is gone from the part of his body that whips those violent, topspinheavy forehands that are the key to his success — 14 of his 21 winners came off that wing. The bad news for Nadal? He still is working on feeling comfortable hitting down-the-line forehands, in particular, after sitting out from the French Open in late May to the Olympics this month.
“Not easy to go 2⁄21 months out of competition, in the middle of the season, without hitting a forehand,” Nadal said. “I need to have the confidence again with my wrist.”
Isner had to be rather relieved to escape with a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3) victory over Tiafoe in their all-American matchup.
Tiafoe first built his big lead, let it slip away, then served for the match after breaking Isner for a 5-3 lead in the fifth set. But Isner broke there.
“Probably played the best return game I played all match,” Isner said. “Even though I was pretty haggard out there.”
Isner then closed it out in about 31⁄2 hours.