Lucas Pouille pulled off the upset of the men’s draw thus far shocking 2-time champion Rafael Nadal 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the US Open.
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Lucas Pouille outlasted 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in a 5-set classic on Sunday, September 4 (Monday, September 5 in Manila) to lead a trio of French men into the quarterfinals of the US Open.
But that changed against 22-year-old Frenchman Pouille, who took a dramatic fourth-round match 6-1 2-6 6-4 3-6 7-6 (8-6) at Flushing Meadows.
Of course, he did beat Andy Murray and Gael Monfils in consecutive three-setters to win the Monte Carlo Masters, but Nadal does seem a bit unsure on the big points – like he did at 6-6 in the fifth set tiebreak against Pouille after saving three match points.
But Pouille sniffed out a break point at 3-4 down, reading a Nadal serve out wide to set up a Nadal forehand error which brought the set back on serve.
“It’s my first match on the centre court, against Rafa”, Pouille said in an on-court interview after dropping flat on his back in celebration after his forehand victor ended the marathon on his fourth match point. However, an uncharacteristic volley error from the Spaniard, and Pouille produced one last forehand victor, his 59th victor of the match, for a famous victory, 7-6 (6).
The other quarterfinal on that side of the draw will feature yet another Frenchman, No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, against the victor of Sunday night’s last match in Ashe, between No. 1 Novak Djokovic and 84th-ranked Kyle Edmund of Britain.Tsonga got there by eliminating the last American man in the field, No. 26 Jack Sock, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-2.
The 4-hour, 7-minute contest entranced the crowd in Arthur Ashe stadium, where Pouille recalled admiring Nadal as a youngster.
The extra rest may prove providential for Djokovic, who has battled a left wrist injury and received treatment on his right arm during his win over Janowicz. “Just congratulate the opponent that probably he played with better decision than me the last couple of points”.
“I think because mentally I’m stronger and physically, I’m stronger”.
“I have practiced with all the best”, he said.
And Tsonga would be able to roll to a four set victory, sealing things when Sock badly misfires on this return on match point – the Frenchman is now into the quarters for the second straight year.
The 23-year-old Sock, seeded 26th, hadn’t faced a break point in surprising 2014 champion Marin Cilic in the third round. But I see she plays normal. “I needed something more – it was not there today”.
Having led two sets to one, it seemed that Pouille might have to be content with valiant defeat when Nadal moved 4-2 up in the decider.
But that evening session at Flushing Meadows will begin late after Pouille and Nadal’s enthralling encounter. 2015 runner-up Roberta Vinci also reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 win over Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine. At this point, we have to wonder whether Nadal is becoming a sentimental favorite rather than a player with realistic title hopes.
The final set reached 6-6 – a situation Nadal had not seen in more than a decade.
“My first match on the center court against Rafa”, Pouille said in his on-court interview.
After finally pulling even with Pouille by capturing the fourth set, Nadal appeared to nose ahead by breaking to open the fifth, then going ahead 4-2. I had the right attitude. Then, while briefly working with John McEnroe, he beat Roger Federer in the semifinals at the All England Club in July to reach his first Grand Slam final. “But for someone who didn’t play much matches in the last two months, I think she’s competitive”. Honestly I am the most happy in this tournament.
“I didn’t create this pressure for myself or this kind of stress on myself”, Raonic acknowledged. I put me in a position to have the victor and I had the mistake.The problem is arrive to 6-All on the tiebreak of the fifth. “Because if I’m not in the top five, I feel like it’s not where I want to be, so at that point, whether I’m 20 in the world or 100 in the world, it doesn’t matter because I’m going to play the same people anyway”.
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“He’s in very good form”, Pouille said of Monfils. I don’t know; I’m not in her shoulder.
