Slam dunk: Frances Tiafoe ends Rafael Nadal’s 22-match Grand Slam streak
New York, September 6
Frances Tiafoe’s vision was blurry from the tears. He was thrilled — overwhelmed, even — when the last point was over and it hit him that, yes, he had ended Rafael Nadal’s 22-match Grand Slam winning streak and reached the US Open quarterfinals for the first time.
“I felt like the world stopped,” Tiafoe said. “I couldn’t hear anything for a minute.” Then Tiafoe found himself “losing it in the locker room” when he saw that NBA superstar LeBron James gave him a Twitter shout-out.
What meant the most to Tiafoe about his 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory over 22-time Major champion Nadal in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows, though, was looking up in his Arthur Ashe Stadium guest box and knowing his parents, Constant and Alphina, were there. “To see them experience me beat Rafa Nadal — they’ve seen me have big wins, but to beat those Mount Rushmore’ guys? For them, I can’t imagine what was going through their heads,” said Tiafoe, a 24-year-old American. “I mean, they’re going to remember this the rest of their lives.” — Agencies
0 Tiafoe, 24, came into the match having failed to win a set, or even force a break point, against Nadal in their two previous meetings.
DAY 8: HIGHLIGHTS
Sabalenka rallies
Sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka fought back from a set down to beat Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins 3-6 6-3 6-2 and set up a quarterfinal against Karolina Pliskova, who beat beat three-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka 7-5 6-7(5) 6-2.
Nobody’s perfect
Top seed Iga Swiatek dropped a set for the first time in the tournament against Jule Niemeier but fought back to win 2-6 6-4 6-0 to book a spot in the quarter-finals where she will play American eighth seed Jessica Pegula. “I’m just proud I didn’t lose hope,” Swiatek said. “I’m pretty glad I used my experience.”
PEGULA OUSTS KVITOVA
Jessica Pegula became the second American after Coco Gauff to move into the quarters after the eighth seed beat Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-2.
Sinner survives
Jannik Sinner survived a gruelling five-setter against Ilya Ivashka, clinching a 6-1 5-7 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory in just under four hours. Sinner, 21, has now reached the quarters of every Grand Slam.
