Ranked Nadal cruises into US Open quarter-finals

Pliskova, the US Open runner-up previous year, triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, but was forced to save a match-point in the 10th game of the second set and recover from a break down in the decider.

“I was sick the last two days”, del Potro admitted after the match.

Here’s how close it was: Thiem actually won more points, 141-139.

Del Potro will meet Thiem in a blockbuster fourth-round clash after the Austrian sixth seed was too good for Adrian Mannarino 7-5 6-3 6-4. Leading 6-5, he managed to get within a point of winning at 15-40 on del Potro’s serve, but a pair of aces at 127 miles per hour and 121 miles per hour erased those two chances. Federer took a medical timeout fore a sore back after the second set and otherwise showed no signs of trouble.

It did not take long for the second set to unfold in similar fashion.

Future funds will be used to help storm-affected tennis facilities.

Despite enjoying a rivalry stretching back 37 matches, including 12 major finals, Federer and Nadal have never previously met at the semi-final stage at the US Open, but that could end this week.

Juan Martin del Potro’s stay at the U.S. Open really should be over.

Kanepi was able to get into the qualifying event by virtue of a protected ranking. She is 0-5 in that round previously.

Top seed Pliskova, the runner-up in 2016, triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 but was forced to save a match point in the 10th game of the second set and recover from a break down in the decider. Having gone 0-40 down he saved four match points, but on the fifth his netted backhand gave Nadal victory.

It was just a fourth-rounder.

He advanced to face 19-year-old Russian Andrey Rublev, the youngest quarterfinalist since Andy Roddick had just turned 19 in 2001.

The world number one brushed aside world number 64 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-2 6-4 6-1 in just an hour and 42 minutes on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, will be hoping that he can finish this game with a bit of ease.

It is the first time in four years Nadal has reached the last eight of the Grand Slam held at Flushing Meadows.

Meanwhile, Russian teenager Andrey Rublev caused a major upset in the men’s draw by knocking out Belgium’s ninth seed David Goffin.

Rublev, who turns 20 in October, entered the US Open ranked 53rd in the world.

Rafael Nadal returns a shot against Alexandr Dolgopolov during their fourth-round men’s singles match at the US Open on September 4, 2017, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing. She has not had the cleanest of slam performances since she made her maiden Grand Slam final at the 2015 French Open, because of injury and illness, but she has excelled on the doubles court with the partnership and friendship she has developed with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Nadal could not land a telling return as the break points came and went against Mayer, and the Argentine took advantage by playing a fine tie-break to take the first set.

Rublev defeated No. 9 Goffin 7-5, 7-6, 6-3 in the Round of 16, after his 7-5, 7-6, 6-3, win over Dimitrov. But he already won a lot of matches on the Tour.

The record between Nadal and Dolgopolov stands at six wins for the Nadal and two wins for Dolgopolov.

More relevant numbers: Federer was broken eight times total in those matches, but only once against Lopez.

Pliskova opens the Labor Day schedule against unseeded Jennifer Brady.

Play on the featured court will then wrap up with a match between women’s fourth seed Elina Svitolina and 15th seed Madison Keys.