Nadal was all praise for his young opponent.
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And then, more than 4 hours into the toughest test he’s put his left wrist through since returning from injury, Nadal faltered. She missed a forehand long, then netted a backhand to get broken there – and that was just the beginning of her collapse. Nadal knew what he’d done and covered his eyes with both hands. Williams brandished her racket and yelled at the line judge, and the point she was docked for that ended the match.
Two-time US Open champion Rafael Nadal was ousted by 22-year-old Frenchman Lucas Pouille from this year’s tournament in a five set thriller 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 Sunday. Had the right attitude. “But I needed something else. I need something more that was not there today”.
Konta, an Australian Open semifinalist, collapsed to the court with trouble breathing during her second-round match, but she didn’t appear to have any physical problems Sunday.
The talented 22-year-old stunned the fourth-seeded Nadal and the NY crowd by handily besting Nadal from the baseline in the opening set, which he won in less than a half-hour.
On the next point, with Nadal serving to survive, Pouille showed no hesitation.
This was Pouille’s third career victory in a five-setter – and all have come in his past three matches.
“It could, maybe”, pondered Pouille, after registering the biggest upset thus far at the year’s final Grand Slam.
Pouille next tackles 10th-seeded compatriot Gael Monfils, a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victor over Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.
The 10th-seeded Monfils beat an error-prone Pouille 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in an all-French quarterfinal that concluded under Arthur Ashe Stadium’s retractable roof.
Novak Djokovic steamed into the quarter-finals of the US Open with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory against 84th-ranked Briton Kyle Edmund. Pouille and Monfils will play each other for a place in the semifinals.
In the women’s draw, Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion, saw off the tricky challenge of two-time Wimbledon victor Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic.
Italian seventh seed and 2015 runner-up Roberta Vinci reached the quarter-finals for the fourth time with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 win over Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.
The red-hot Monfils maintained an impeccable run to the last four with his fifth consecutive straight-sets win in a hard court season in which he won the ATP World Tour 500 event in Washington, reached the semi-finals in Toronto and the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics.
“When I was a kid, of course I was dreaming of winning Slams and being one day No. 1, and now it can happen”, said Kerber. “I always say that the French is my home, but this one is my second”.
“When it happens it will be an incredible feeling, because that was also one of my dreams when I was a kid”.
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In a report published by USA Today, the 30-year old 14-time major champion needs to consider some changes in his game or his approach to the sport and he knows it. Change is vital for him if he wants to win Grand Slam No. 15 and beyond.
