Rafael Nadal

The next generation of top American players has struggled heavily against Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in Grand Slams. Tiafoe broke through with ...

He got the groups’s first win against the Big Three earlier this year, when he overcame an ankle injury during his warm-up and beat Nadal in the Tiafoe has always been the alpha of the group, always looking to rib his mates, especially Fritz. He cracked a rib ahead of the final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., and then the pain in his foot returned just a few weeks before the French Open. Nadal struggled to find the court for much of the first two sets of his second-round match against Fabio Fognini of Italy. At the end the only thing that happened is we went to the fourth round of the U.S. “I’m not going to have that ‘first time playing him, excited to play,’” he said of Nadal after his third-round win against Diego Schwartzman, the 14th seed, eight spots higher than him. Then he started to feel better, played one tournament before the year’s first Grand Slam, and then won it, coming back from two sets down in the final against Medvedev, the world No. After a key winner gave him a decisive break of Nadal’s serve in the third set, he sprinted to his chair, revving up the crowd even more and letting the roars fall over him. He could barely walk on his chronically injured left foot six weeks before the Australian Open and thought he might have to retire. But he quickly came back to break Nadal’s serve in the next game, and then began hammering away and scampering across the court to chase down every ball he could reach and many he couldn’t. Tiafoe and his fellow 20-somethings have become solid members of the top 30 this year, but have yet to crack the next level. [strong and talented 24-year-old](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/sports/tennis/frances-tiafoe-australian-open.html) from Hyattsville, Md., who is one of the fastest players in the game and built like an N.F.L.

The Hyattsville, Md., native was sharp throughout four sets and became the first player to beat Nadal at a major this year.

She rose from 76th in the world at the end of that year to a career-high seventh this season after teaming up with David Witt, Venus Williams’s former longtime coach, and dedicating more time to the professional side of professional tennis: eating right, preparing thoroughly and taking care of her body. But in the next game, Nadal served two double faults and Tiafoe didn’t let the chance slip through his fingers. Am I ever going to be able to say I beat one of them? Today I was like, no, I’m going to do that,” Tiafoe said. “The biggest thing with things like that is the time I played him before, I got broken so early in each set,” Tiafoe said. Tiafoe’s victory denied Nadal the chance to expand his lead over Novak Djokovic (21) and Federer (20) in Grand Slam wins. His physical improvement has led to a He was the first man to beat Nadal at a major this year, with the Spaniard having won the Australian Open and the French Open. He had been practicing with a high level of intensity ahead of the tournament but couldn’t serve with the same ferocity because scar tissue on his abdomen limited his movement. When he clinched it by forcing a backhand error from Nadal, he chucked his racket toward his chair and placed his hands around his head. He is through to his first U.S. But Monday, with a smart, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Rafael Nadal, he displayed a tactician’s discipline in ousting the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Rafael Nadal reflects on his fourth-round loss against Frances Tiafoe at the US Open, where he was pursuing his 23rd Grand Slam title.

The lefty made the semi-finals at [Wimbledon](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview) before withdrawing due to injury. [Fabio Fognini](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/fabio-fognini/f510/overview). 7 [Richard Gasquet](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/richard-gasquet/g628/overview). “I was not able to do anything, any of these things this afternoon. I had a Love-30 in the first set, second serve, I missed the return. “But at the end of the day I need to analyse myself more than the opponent. I had that break, then I had again a 15/40. At the end the only thing that happened is we went to the fourth round of the That's the only way to improve or that's the only way that I understand you are able to find solutions.” “I was not able to hold a high level of tennis for a long time. Or maybe I lost [other] things because I was not able to create this interior power after all that injuries. “We can make lamentations or we can complain now about a lot of things, but I don't think that [is] going to change any situation,” Nadal said.

Rafael Nadal has been eliminated at the US Open in his first grand slam loss of the year.

The early edge was a boon for Tiafoe. He sat on the bench and buried his head in a towel as Nadal walked off and waved to the crowd. Nadal entered 22-0 at Grand Slam events in 2022. "A lot of people had a lot of expectations of me and I wasn't ready for it. I wasn't mature enough for it. I played unbelievable tennis today, I really don't know what happened.

In front of a rowdy home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 22nd seed became the first man to beat Nadal on court in a grand slam this year. It also marks the ...

As he digested a bitter end to a great, complicated year, Nadal brushed off questions about his preparation and the abdominal injury that meant he only played in one tournament before the US Open. “But days will pass and I’ll keep going as I’ve done my whole life and I’m confident I have the inner strength to do it again.” So to see him post that, I was like, ‘Do I retweet it as soon as he sent it?’ I was like, ‘You know what, I’m going to be cool and act like I didn’t see it and then retweet it three hours later.’” “It’s been a few months a little difficult in every way, this is the reality. Hype has followed him since he was a teenager but he has had to be patient in adulthood, watching as his contemporaries rise up above him in the rankings and waiting to experience such moments himself. Am I ever going to be able to say I beat one of them?’ Today I was like, ‘No, I’m going to do that.’ So now, it’s something to tell the kids, the grandkids, ‘Yeah, I beat Rafa.’ Hopefully I never play him again, but hope I end with a win.” The NBA star LeBron James, Tiafoe’s idol, was among those to pay tribute to Tiafoe’s display on Twitter. “My legs were like cement,” said Tiafoe of the lengthy 4-3 game. “I was telling my agent, I felt like the world stopped. I was already tearing. I’m beyond happy, I’m almost in tears,” said Tiafoe during his on-court interview. It also marks the first time since Wimbledon 2017 that Nadal has lost before the quarter-final stage of a grand slam.

No. 22 seed Frances Tiafoe defeats Rafael Nadal to end the Spaniard's 22-match Grand Slam winning streak and reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first ...

When one last backhand by Nadal found the net, Tiafoe chucked his racket and put his hands on his head. Earlier in the tournament, he lost the first set of his first-round match. "It signifies that the years go by," Nadal said. Then he made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon in July before withdrawing from that tournament because of a torn abdominal muscle. "At the end that's it." "I felt like the world stopped," Tiafoe said. "I mean, they're going to remember today for the rest of their lives." And he kept his cool, remained in the moment and never let the stakes or the opponent get to him. 2 Gustavo Kuerten in the first. They ended up in Maryland, where Constant helped construct a tennis training center for juniors, then became a maintenance man there; Alphina, Frances said, was "a nurse, working two jobs, working overtime through the nights." For them, I can't imagine what was going through their heads," said Tiafoe, a 24-year-old American seeded 22nd at the U.S. 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 Monday and reached the U.S.

Despite having played just one match before the US Open after his Wimbledon withdrawal, Nadal, who won the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year ...

"I wasn't ready for it, mentally I wasn't mature enough for those moments, and these last couple of years when it hasn't been on me, I've been able to develop. [skysports.com/tennis](http://www.skysports.com/tennis), our Twitter account [@skysportstennis](https://twitter.com/SkySportsTennis) & Sky Sports - on the go! I'm able to do me, do it my way, and enjoy the game I love." "I am going to try to be ready mentally," Nadal said. "I have a great team behind me, and I've been putting my head down. "I'm beyond happy, I'm almost in tears.

Bradley Beal found out he's yet another person's favorite player -- the guy who upset Rafael Nadal in the U.S. Open.

“I mean, they’re going to remember today for the rest of their lives.” His parents both emigrated to the United States from Sierra Leone in West Africa amid its civil war in the 1990s. Open since Andy Roddick in 2006, but this was not a case of a one-sided crowd backing one of its own. For them, I can’t imagine what was going through their heads,” said Tiafoe, a 24-year-old American seeded 22nd at the U.S. “My favorite basketball player in the NBA Bradley Beal got to watch this,” Tiafoe said. Open quarterfinals for the first time.

Rafael Nadal's priority is being fit for upcoming Grand Slams and not returning to the top of the ATP world rankings, his coach Carlos Moya has stressed.

For some reason, I don't know, mental issues in terms of a lot of things happened the last couple of months. That's the true. But then when the competition start, my level went down. 1 for the first time since February 2020](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/us-open/2022/rafael-nadal-carlos-alcaraz-daniil-medvedev-or-casper-ruud-who-needs-what-to-win-no.-1-race-after-us_sto9109468/story.shtml)if neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Casper Ruud make the final of the US Open. [Casper Ruud holds nerve to overcome Matteo Berrettini and keep maiden US Open dream alive](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/us-open/2022/no.-1-contender-casper-ruud-holds-nerve-to-overcome-matteo-berrettini-and-keep-maiden-us-open-dream_sto9129705/story.shtml) [Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Frances Tiafoe - 'their time has come' says John McEnroe](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/us-open/2022/carlos-alcaraz-jannik-sinner-and-francis-tiafoe-their-time-has-come-says-john-mcenroe-at-2022-us-ope_sto9129290/story.shtml) But in other cases it went the right way, even with not the perfect preparation, no? “I have been practising well the week before, honestly. “I going to try to be ready mentally. But the Spaniard is still one of three players in the frame for the coveted top spot in the ATP rankings. But if it’s put in front of him, of course we’ll go for it.” “If you look at his schedule, it’s clear that it’s not a goal. The race to reach world No.

Rafael Nadal's uncertain future following US Open exit, Dawson Knox's gratitude for Bills' support, and are Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally going to ...

[PSG vs Juventus](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/psg-vs-juventus-time-tv-stream-lineups-odds-champions-league/fnhr4tepl8wjutae2we2daet)and [Real Madrid’s trip to Celtic](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/celtic-vs-real-madrid-time-tv-channel-stream-odds-champions-league/gpl0vinzbt5axabcsuopcki6)among Tuesday’s highlights [Aaron Judge hits 54th home run of the season](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/yankees-aaron-judge-home-run-pace-tracker-mlb-record/rpo0pkegydgvf6akk1pw3qad) [Rafael Nadal knocked out in shock defeat to Francis Tiafoe](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/tennis/news/rafael-nadal-suffers-shock-us-open-exit-frances-tiafoe-draw-opens-kyrgios-and-alcaraz/j8o4unovhgaa9xrubrbqxfid), but Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz make the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows

Frances Tiafoe becomes the first American man to reach the quarter-finals in New York since John Isner in 2018. © Mike Stobe/Getty Images.

[Marcos Giron](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/marcos-giron/gc88/overview), [Jason Kubler](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jason-kubler/kb95/overview) and [Diego Schwartzman](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/diego-schwartzman/sm37/overview) in straight sets during the opening week in New York and is now up to No. [Carlos Alcaraz](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/a0e2/overview) and Norway’s [Casper Ruud](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/casper-ruud/rh16/overview). Earlier this season he enjoyed a run to the final in Estoril, before he advanced to the fourth round at [Wimbledon](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview). 2 Spaniard in the third round in 2005. [Arthur Ashe](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/arthur-ashe/a063/overview) Stadium to earn his third Top 5 win. “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. He then hit a double fault at 30/40 to gift the Spaniard the set. Tiafoe stuck to his game plan, though, and worked his way back into the set. 1](https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nadal-alcaraz-ruud-us-open-2022-world-no-1-scenarios). When serving at 4-5, 15/15, the American misjudged a backhand from Nadal, leaving a ball that caught the line. In a lively first set, Tiafoe quickly found his range from the baseline. Tiafoe had never won a set against Nadal and trailed the Spaniard 0-2 in their ATP Head2Head series prior to their meeting in New York.

Frances Tiafoe pulled off the performance of his career as he overpowered and outhit 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal to make the US Open quarter-finals ...

Tiafoe went on to break Nadal again before holding at 5-3. You have to thread the needle and play high risk otherwise you keep running like a yo-yo." Despite the result Nadal will still return to world No. He is one of the greatest of all time, I played unbelievable tennis today, I really don’t know what happened." US Open Nadal broke early in the fourth set and the early signs suggested the match was going to a fifth set, but he couldn’t consolidate the break.

Rafael Nadal has suggested he could take some time away from tennis following his shock US Open fourth-round loss to Frances Tiafoe.

I was not able to do anything, any of these things this afternoon. I was not able to hold a high level of tennis for a long time. I had a 0-30 in the first set, second serve, I missed the return. So he was able to do it. He was able to take the ball too many times very early, so I was not able to push him back. If not, you need to be very, very quick and very young. “I had that break, then I had again a 15-40. “I going to try to be ready mentally. And that's why I am having a plane back home.” For some reason, I don't know, mental issues in terms of a lot of things happened the last couple of months. “I have been practising well the week before, honestly. But in other cases it went the right way, even with not the perfect preparation, no?

The Australian has suggested that the 22-time Grand Slam champion may look to retire after winning one more French Open given the quality of the new wave of ...

If he goes back to the Australian Open and runs into a Tiafoe or someone similar where he only plays to win slams. It was the Spaniard’s first loss in a major tournament this year having won the Australian Open and followed it up with his customary success in France before being forced to pull out of The Australian has suggested that the 22-time Grand Slam champion may look to retire after winning one more [French Open](/latest/french-open) given the quality of the new wave of youngsters that are coming through.

For the first time in the professional era, the U.S. Open will have just one quarterfinalist across the women's and men's draws who already has won a major ...

But there were great champions in the past and there will be again. The fans have to be ready for a new generation, as well.” The only other men with more than one in that span are Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, with three apiece. There is no reason to think Djokovic, 35, will not remain a Slam contender for some time — when he can get into the country hosting the tournament, that is. Open, whether merely symbolic or truly portentous, offers a glimpse at the current and future states of the game. Of the 16 singles quarterfinalists across the women’s and men’s brackets, 15 never have won so much as one major championship anywhere (the exception is Iga Swiatek, a 21-year-old from Poland who is No. Federer, 41, hasn’t played since Wimbledon in July 2021 and had a series of operations on his right knee. According to the U.S. Those four players dominated, and were the main draws, in tennis for decades, collecting a total of 86 Grand Slam singles titles, each with at least 20. “Some depart, others come and the world keeps going. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer (more on them later) weren’t even in the tournament. Rafael Nadal lost in the fourth round.

All three players have a chance to be at the top of the rankings at the end of this week after Medvedev's early loss.

But if Nadal loses in the fourth round, like is the case for Alcaraz, just reaching the final will be enough for Ruud to become World No. Regardless of what happens elsewhere, if Alcaraz lifts the title on Sunday, he’ll be the World No. 1 ranking spot will be decided by the outcome of one match. But the Spaniard is also best placed to be at the top at the end of the fortnight. If he gets past Frances Tiafoe on Monday but loses in the quarterfinals, he will gain another 180 points, which will be enough as long as Ruud or Alcaraz don’t win the title. 1 spot could be his even before the final.

RAFAEL NADAL could still become world No 1 after losing in the US Open round-of-16.

[had a chance to reach world No 1 at his comeback tournament in Cincinnati](/sport/tennis/1655168/Rafael-Nadal-Cincinnati-world-No-1-ranking-comeback-tennis-news) last month but lost in the first round, denying himself the chance of climbing the rankings. He will now rely on his young rivals losing before Sunday’s championship match but has already explained what it would mean to him to return to the top for the first time in more than a year. [Rafael Nadal](/latest/rafael-nadal)’s coach has opened up on the Spaniard’s ambitions with him closing in on the world No 1 ranking.