Surprise at the US Open: Rafael Nadal, 3rd player in the world and four-time winner of the event, was eliminated in the round of 16, beaten 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 by Frances Tiafoe ( 26th), Monday in New York.
The 24-year-old American, who has reached this stage for the first time at Flushing Meadows, will try to do even better against Russian Andrey Rublev (11th).
The 36-year-old Spaniard will have to wait for him to bring his record of Grand Slam titles to 23.
He had won the Australian Open and Roland-Garros in the first half, before withdrawing before his semi-final at Wimbledon against Nick Kyrgios, due to an abdominal tear.
Forced to stay away from the courts for six weeks – which did not favor his preparation on hard, since he was released as soon as he entered the running in Cincinnati by the ghost Borna Coric -, did he still bear the stigmata? this Monday on the Arthur Ashe?
Hard to say, because nothing in his body language betrayed any sign of pain.
However, Nadal never appeared on his plate in this match, less mobile than usual, also less inclined to fight on all the balls as he almost never fails to do.
And his time in the locker room, for no less than nine minutes, an eternity, after the loss of the first set, also raised questions.
Somewhat evaporated in the second round, since he won it by finding a little solidity in his game, certainly helped in its conclusion by a double fault from Tiafoe.
" I do not believe it "
Not enough to doubt the American, however, who redoubled his aggressiveness in the third set.
He continued to practice dream tennis at times, succeeding in everything from the long-line backhand attack to the crossover drop shot, which mystified Nadal, when it wasn't his counter forehands flirting with the line, almost always on the right side.
Under the eyes of actor / director Ben Stiller, celebrity in the middle of some 23,800 spectators both excited and amazed by the scenario, Nadal recovered at the start of the fourth inning, breaking the first to s escape 3-1.
He clenched his fist going with a "Vamos!"
" of circumstance.
But Tiafoe gritted his teeth and responded as a champion – which he is certainly not yet, his best career in a Major having stopped in the quarters in Melbourne in 2019 –, hitting cinderblocks on cinderblocks, almost all in, which have finished disgusting Nadal a new and last time pushed to the fault, to bow on the second match point of his rival after 3h30.
Almost KO of joy, barely realizing the extent of his achievement, certainly one of the most beautiful of his career, Tiafoe struggled to suppress tears.
“I don't know what to say, I don't believe it… I played incredible tennis, I don't know what happened,” he confided hotly, on cloud nine.