Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal's US Open campaign has gotten off to a rocky start, with the 22-time grand slam champion dropping his first set to Australian wildcard Rinky ...

“The break point at 3-all set the tone for that set but also the pressure to serve it out. Nadal, the No. 80 Danka Kovinic to ensure her incredible career goes for another match, while No. The court positioning was just razor-sharp, he was ready,” Australian tennis great Jelena Dokic said in commentary for Channel 9. [#RafaNadal]just lost the first set to Rinky Hijikata in the [#USOpen2022]. “I’m excited for the contest, I’m excited for the challenge. “It’s always been a dream of mine to go out there on the biggest stages of tennis and try to have a big crack at players like that. Just really unloading on a lot of those forehands. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments including Every Finals Match. Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. Even as he secured the crucial break of serve in the fourth set, Nadal didn’t appear to be moving at his best. It was only at the end of a marathon 15-minute service game — that brought the crowd to its feet — that Nadal finally won the match with his fifth match point.

Rafael Nadal's pursuit of a 23rd Grand Slam title got off to a shaky start at the US Open on Tuesday courtesy of relatively unknown Australian player Rinky ...

Follow game Rafa Nadal vs Rinky Hijikata live coverage, stream information, score online, prediction, TV channel, lineups preview, start date and result ...

This will be the first confrontation between these two tennis players In the last two times that the Spanish tennis player has met an Australian he has won, in March against Kyrgios at Indian Wells and then on May 23 at Roland Garros; He was also in the Mexican tournament in Los Cabos where he passed the qualifying round, but in the round of 16 he was eliminated by the current world No. The Australian tennis player has won seven of the last ten matches he has played here. Open and seeks to increase it today; The No.

Rafael Nadal defeated Rinky Hijikata in four sets at the US Open on Tuesday to reach the second round. The four-time champion will next play Fabio Fognini, ...

The lefty lost his opening match at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati against eventual champion [Borna Coric](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/borna-coric/cg80/overview). The contender for a place at the [Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/intesa-sanpaolo-next-gen-atp-finals/7696/overview) came out firing, playing aggressively to keep Nadal from dominating the action. [‘Welcome To The Big House’: Hijikata Relishing Rafa Clash](/en/news/hijikata-us-open-2022-feature) [Rinky Hijikata](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rinky-hijikata/h0bh/overview) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 at Flushing Meadows, where he is competing for the first time since he won the 2019 title. [Daniil Medvedev](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/daniil-medvedev/mm58/overview), [Carlos Alcaraz](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/a0e2/overview) and [Casper Ruud](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/casper-ruud/rh16/overview) all must reach at least the final to have a chance of preventing the Spaniard from capturing the top spot. The Australian hit 11 winners to just six unforced errors in the first set, unleashing roars to the New York crowd to celebrate some of his best shots. [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview). The 21-year-old had gained experience in a big match earlier this month in Los Cabos, where he made World No. Nadal leads the pair’s ATP Head2Head series 13-4. [Arthur Ashe](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/arthur-ashe/a063/overview) Stadium. Night sessions are the best," Nadal said. [Rafael Nadal](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rafael-nadal/n409/overview) to discover his rhythm on Tuesday evening at the [US Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview), but the four-time champion found it to advance to the second round.

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal will be stepping back on the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium for his first time in three years since his 2019 U.S. Open win.

1 Daniil Medvedev is Los Cabos in August and is currently ranked at No. The 21-year-old athlete took on world No. 2 seed Nadal will face the world No. The 36-year-old Nadal was ranked world No. Nadal has clinched 92 ATP singles titles and is one of only two men to achieve the Career Golden Slam in singles. ET at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first round of the tournament.

Rinky Hijikata will be making his Grand Slam main draw debut against the four-time champion in Flushing Meadows on Tuesday night but is relishing the chance to ...

That was a great experience for me, I think I learned a lot from that,” he said of the match. Hijikata added: “That was hard to beat, playing each other pretty much every Slam and the quality of their tennis was out of this world. “It’s always been a dream of mine to go out there on the biggest stages of tennis and try to have a big crack at players like that. [Federer](/latest/roger-federer), the world No 198 is also a fan of their Big Three rival, [Novak Djokovic](/latest/novak-djokovic). Hijikata has previously unsuccessfully contested the qualifying contest at the Australian Open and Wimbledon but he will finally get to play a Grand Slam main draw match after receiving a US Open wildcard, finding himself drawn against the player with the most men’s singles titles at Major level in history. Rinky Hijikata will be making his Grand Slam main draw debut against the four-time champion in Flushing Meadows on Tuesday night but is relishing the chance to face Nadal despite being thrown straight in at the deep end.

Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are among the stars in first-round action Tuesday at the US Open, as the bottom half of the draw kicks into ...

Hurkacz meets [Oscar Otte](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/oscar-otte/o449/overview) for the second time this year, after the Pole battled through in three sets in the pair’s clash in Indian Wells in March. Rublev takes on [Laslo Djere](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/laslo-djere/db63/overview), the Serbian fresh from reaching his maiden tour-level hard-court final in Winston-Salem last week. The seventh-seeded Briton will hope to continue that form over five sets in his opening clash in New York against Frenchman [Benoit Paire](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/benoit-paire/pd31/overview). [US Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview) trophy, but a host of talented stars from the southern European nation is looking to change that this fortnight in New York. [View Singles Draw](https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/current/us-open/560/draws?matchType=Singles) The Spaniard’s first task after three years away is a first-round meeting against 21-year-old [Rinky Hijikata](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rinky-hijikata/h0bh/overview), the Australian wild card making his Grand Slam debut. The 19-year-old will be hoping for a fast start to his campaign against Baez as he looks to add a Grand Slam triumph to his stellar 2022 season in which he has claimed four tour-level titles, including two ATP Masters 1000 crowns. The six-time tour-level titlist plays tournament debutant So just looking for every single practice to be better and better, just be competitive from the first round. Nadal, who is the current No. “It's one of the most important places in my tennis career, without a doubt. [Arthur Ashe](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/arthur-ashe/a063/overview) stadium in 2019, he defeated [Daniil Medvedev](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/daniil-medvedev/mm58/overview) in five sets to clinch his fourth [US Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview) crown.

Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal look for another Grand Slam title. Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka seek to prove they can make a deep run.

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Welcome to Wide World of Sports' LIVE blog of day two of the 2022 US Open.

Hijikata did not go down without a fight though, especially in the fourth set, with the Aussie holding three break points to level at 4-all but Nadal somehow mustered the energy to fight back, in an eighth game that went for almost 10 minutes. But Nadal worked his way back from some tough situations to take the match 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3. Rafael Nadal has qualified for the second round of the US Open after overcoming a game Rinky Hijikata in a match that went beyond three hours.

After winning the first set, Australia's Rinky Hijikata falls to Rafael Nadal, while countrymen James Duckworth and Alexei Popyrin move through to the ...

Duckworth will pocket a cheque for at least $US121,000 ($168,000) for reaching the second round at Flushing Meadows for only the second time in seven attempts. After hitting back swiftly to take the second and third sets, Nadal resisted a fierce fightback from Hijikata in the fourth to eventually clinch victory, to great relief, on his fifth match point after three hours and eight minutes of enthralling action. He then fist-pumped and waved his arms in triumph after sealing the set with a huge ace down the middle.

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal returned to the US Open after three years and although he surprisingly lost the first set to Grand Slam debutant Rinky ...

In 2021 he was unable to participate due to a left foot injury. Maybe that's why he was slow to get into rhythm tonight at Flushing Meadows. [Rafael Nadal's anger and anguish in the middle of US Open by leaked video of his wife's admission to the hospital](https://www.marca.com/en/tennis/us-open/2022/08/31/630eac4c22601dc9158b456b.html)

Rafael Nadal summoned repelled Aussie Rinky Hijikata, winning a 3-hour, 8-minute four-setter 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the U.S. Open.

“I was able to come back after a tough first set,’’ Nadal said. “I have to say the last few days I’ve embraced the American way of looking at it a little bit more.” It was a day to get the job done.’’ It’s a moment to survive and stay positive, stay with the right attitude, enjoying the fact I’m here.’’ “It was a tough match,’’ Nadal said. In his first match at the U.S.

The second-seeded Spanish great dropped the opening set, before powering home in his first-round clash with Rinky Hijikata.

Rafael Nadal has been dealing with injuries that could threaten his career, but he earned a first-round victory over Rinky Hijikata at the U.S. Open.

“I am enjoying the fact I am here,” he said. “I was a little nervous, but I remembered I didn’t have anything to lose going into that match, playing an older and more experienced player,” said Tien, who is considering college and will compete in the junior U.S. [Emma Raducanu](https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2021-09-11/emma-raducanu-defeats-leylah-fernandez-us-open-womens-title) of Britain, who has struggled since she won the U.S. At the rate the American men are going, they will still be chasing that next Slam title by the time Tien is ready to play against the big boys. It was tough to see the once-dominant Williams, who debuted here in 1997 and won the title here twice, unable to cover the court. [It was] a day to just make the job done, and that’s what I did,” said Nadal, the No. [Australian Open](https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-01-30/rafael-nadal-wins-australian-open-for-21st-major-title) this year and followed up by [winning his beloved French Open](https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-06-05/rafael-nadal-defeats-casper-ruud-for-14th-french-open-title) for the 14th time, giving him a men’s-record 22 Grand Slam singles titles. “I just love being here, love playing here, the excitement of getting here, and the lead-up is all just — it never gets old. “I have what I have,” the four-time U.S. “In some way, [this] was not the day to play perfect. Nadal clinched it on his fifth match point, threading a fierce forehand down the line to secure a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory under the closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium. His chronic foot problems and recent abdominal tear now mean that any point might truly be the last of his career if his worn-out body won’t allow him to continue.

RAFAEL NADAL had to fight back from a set down to win on his US Open return in Tuesday's night session.

Nadal was taking part in his first US Open match since defeating Daniil Medvedev in a memorable five-set affair to earn his four and most recent crown in 2019. Nadal's US Open preparations were far from ideal after withdrawing from his Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios with an abdominal injury in July. The Spaniard returned to the hallowed hard count in Tuesday's night session with a fighting performance but explained his retirement fear after his latest victory.

A fired-up Rafael Nadal was as motivated as ever as he roared back from a set down to overcome Rinky Hijikata of Australia in their US Open first-round ...

Then when he comes back he's got the foot problem and then he goes to Roland-Garros and then all of a sudden he won, so I'm so impressed again with what Rafa is doing. He is probably the best player or athlete that I have ever met at knowing how to deal with adversity because he deals with that very well and this is so difficult.” “I think probably one of the most difficult seasons of his career, from where he came from and for the things he had in the beginning and in the middle of the season as well. I think we need to wait of course but it could be one of the most surprising ones because he's come a long way from before Melbourne. And he's got the experience to know how to deal with the big winners of the tournament.” “Then before Roland-Garros, we didn't know if he was going to play and then if he's capable of winning here, that will be a major impact. So at least, that will be a major effort. "For some time I thought I may not be able to be back, so I am super happy. "I think I didn't play a good game with my serve. That's what I did today," he continued. "But from where he came, he came from a lot of problems. "It's been a long wait," Nadal said in his on-court interview.

Rafael Nadal was put on the defensive after his US Open first round win over Rinky Hijikata on Tuesday night.

He’s young enough and I see him on the tour without a doubt." "So he had the break and I was a little bit nervous. "I don’t think I have a different treatment from the umpires at all. My opponent did it very well for a while and it was a tough battle for three hours. "I think it’s a joke. "A tough match.

Rafael Nadal was involved in a testy exchange with a journalist at the US Open after it was put to him that he receives preferential treatment from umpires.

I have a problem that I am sweating a lot. I don't understand why John can say that on the TV. I don't think I have a different treatment from the umpires at all. But I am going to have a chat with him later (smiling). If not, check the clock. Nadal: I never said that. You have to go to the farthest place of the court to take the towel.The problem for players like me that am sweating that much, you know when you go to pick up the towel, you are going to be in trouble with the time. Question: You have not been following the serve clock rule. John McEnroe has been pointing out you are not following that rule. It seems like the umpires are not enforcing the rule in your case. John McEnroe has been pointing this out. US Open

'I'm going to chat to him later': Nadal hits back at tennis great's 'joke' accusation.

“I don’t think I have different treatment from the umpires at all. “I have a problem, that I am sweating a lot, and when you are playing a game during these very humid conditions, we have the biggest problem today. To me, it’s a big joke if somebody says that.” I don’t think I am receiving different treatment at all. but yes for the time clock. Never for breaking the racquet...

Rafael Nadal, a four-time champion, survived losing the opening set to Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata in the first round of the US Open on Tuesday.

However, he made errors in the first set and was dominated by Nadal in the second. How Nadal served to ignite the momentum and boost his confidence. The consistency of Rinky Hijikata is phenomenal, and one of his records is when he beat his opponents in every game he played. Hijikata was fearless and aggressively played against Nadal, having been a dominant force in the first set. After winning the US Open, champion Rafael Nadal expresses how eager he was for this victory. At the Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the Spanish champion collected an awesome score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 at [Arthur Ashe Stadium](/topic/arthur-ashe-stadium).

Rafael Nadal may have swept past Rinky Hijikata in impressive fashion after losing the opening set of their US Open first-round clash, but he was "nervous".

"You need to be humble enough to go through this process and accept that you need to fight and you need to accept that you going to suffer. "As I said, last week I lost a match in the first round. I know what I have to do better for the next couple of days. It was a day to just get the job done, and that is what I did. "You know, that is the sport. In some ways, it was not the day to play perfectly. Things start to go your way, then you start to feel more relaxed, more comfortable. My opponent did it very well for a while. I was not perfect, but happy. "But then I think I played better. "Well, obviously a tough match," Nadal said in his post-match press conference. Yes, I went through this tough moment.

Rafael Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam titles, but apparently he still feels the nerves in the early rounds.

Djokvoic is not competing in the Open because [he was not allowed to travel to the U.S](https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2022/08/25/unvaccinated-novak-djokovic-withdraws-from-us-open-because-he-cant-travel-to-united-states/). They played an epic 2019 final in which Medvedev came back from two sets down to force a fifth set and turn the crowd from hating him to loving him in the process. [when he spoiled Novak Djokovic’s bid](https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2021/09/12/daniil-medvedev-brings-novak-djokovics-grand-slam-bid-to-a-sudden-and-dramatic-halt-in-us-open-final/) to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete a calendar Grand Slam. In the other hand, of course I'm having an amazing year in terms of results, but at the same time a tough year because I went through the foot, the rib, stress fracture on the rib, then the tear in the abdominal. “You need to be humble enough to go through this process and accept that you need to fight and you need to accept that you going to suffer. In some way was not the day to play perfect. 1 seed Daniil Medvedev, and the two could meet in the final on Sept. At the same time we coming back from a tough period of time.” But the Spaniard steadied the course and went on to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory in 3 hours, 8 minutes, capping the match with a sick forehand passing shot for a winner. The feeling is much worse than losing a match, no? Nadal, 36, improved to 20-0 in majors this year and 16-0 in U.S. 198 in the world who played college tennis at North Carolina.

Rafael Nadal dropped his opening set at the US Open but recovered to defeat Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3.

I don't think I have a different treatment from the umpires at all." "I have a problem that I am sweating a lot," he explained. "You know what, I have been practicing quite well during the whole week," Nadal said.