Rafael Nadal is the ultimate fighter in U.S. Open quarterfinal win
The quarterfinal match between Nadal and Dominic Thiem is why we love the world No. 1 so much.
No one comes from behind like Rafael Nadal, fighting his way into the semifinals, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6 (5).
Dominic Thiem hit 74 winners, Nadal only 55. Thiem won 171 total points in their epic quarterfinal that ended at 2:03 a.m., compared to Rafa’s 166. Dominic Thiem was the better player. But Rafael Nadal won. And he did it in the most awesome warrior way possible. He was bageled in the first set uncharacteristically and Thiem was glorious in his confidence over the world No. 1.
But then the warrior woke up and the two battled in the best match of the tournament that’s already seen some pretty fantastic tennis.
“When these things happen, normally I am not the guy that looks at the string or looks at the box or looks at the racket,” said Nadal, according to Sky Sports.
“I am the guy to look at myself. I needed to move forward, to change that dynamic, and I did. But the first step to change that dynamic is not to find an excuse on the racket or on the string or on something that is not the truth. The only truth is that you have to do things better to be able to fight for the point and fight for the match.”
Someone needs to put that on a t-shirt.
But the Austrian answered back and was no pushover. Thiem’s been there before, in the rare position of winning over the 17-time slam champion, twice on clay. And he almost did it again. Until Rafa’s fighting spirit kicked in, as it has so many times in the past. No one believes like Nadal believes.
The two battling players put on quite the show on Arthur Ashe, pushing the match to almost five hours. And every minute of it was a hard-fought thrill.
For Thiem, who looked in so much control at the beginning of the match, who was seeking a revenge for the French Open final loss, and part of the mid-layer of players who have come up against the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic grand slam glass ceiling all their tennis careers. To come so close, only to lose again, once more, to the great Rafa, it must have been devastating.
“This match is going to be stuck in my mind forever — tennis is cruel sometimes,” Thiem said afterwards.
“This match didn’t deserve a loser, but there has to be one.”
Nadal will need to recover from his longest match he’s planed at the U.S. Open.
“I suffered, that’s the right word. I said to Dominic I am sorry. He’s a great guy, a close friend who will have many more opportunities to win the big titles. He has a great attitude and is a great fighter,” said Nadal about his great clay opponent, who has also been dubbed the “prince of clay.”
Thiem is 25 and ranked nine. If anyone will win the French Open someday after Rafa, it will be Thiem. But after seeing Nadal play his competitive heart out on Tuesday, who’s to say if it will ever happen?
Next: 25 athletes everyone hates (unless they're on your team)
The Spaniard faced Juan Martin del Potro next, who he’s beaten 11 times in their 16 times, including the last three grand slams counting last year’s U.S. Open. Del Potro has been rolling through his matches at Flushing Meadows and looks as strong as ever. Nadal, however will need to recover from his quarterfinal battle.
But Tuesday night proved never doubt the great competitor. No one fights like Nadal when he’s down. Nadal is truly the Rocky Balboa of tennis.