American Frances Tiafoe stunned four-time champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Monday at the US Open to reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final.
The 24-year-old whose record against the top players was 2-13, played fearlessly throughout the three-hour, 31-minute thriller at the Arthur Ashe Stadium to earn his third Top 5 win. Tiafoe hammered the ball from both sides, forehand and backhand, and rallied from a break down in the fourth set to become the first American man to reach the last eight in New York since John Isner in 2018, and the youngest to accomplish the feat since Andy Roddick in 2006.
“I’m beyond happy, almost in tears, I can’t believe it,” Tiafoe said in his on-court interview. “I played unbelievable tennis today. I really don’t know what happened.”
Nadal, not fully back from an injury that has kept him from being as “match-ready” as he should have been for such a big tournament, was visibly downcast, emphasizing that his playing had not been at its best and that Tiafoe had managed to capitalize on that. Tiafoe had never beaten Nadal before. At the press interview after the match Nadal said that tennis is a game of position and for the young–remarking that this no longer applies to him.
In a tight fourth set, Nadal struck first to move 3-1 ahead. Tiafoe stuck to his game plan, though, and worked his way back into the set. He swung freely and held his nerve, rolling off five straight games to seal a historic win. With the crowd on its feet, the American let out a roar before he embraced Nadal at the net.
“When I first came on the scene I felt like a lot of people had a lot of expectations on me on how I would do,” Tiafoe said. “I wasn’t ready for it mentally. I wasn’t mature enough for it. These past couple of years, when the tension hasn’t been on me I have been able to develop. I have a great team behind me. I am just putting my head down and I am happy with where I am in life in general. I am able to do me and do it my way and enjoy the game I love.”
Tiafoe, the 22nd seed, will next play Andrey Rublev after the ninth seed defeated Briton Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
