Lucas Pouille outlasted 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in a five-set classic to lead a trio of French men into the quarterfinals of the US Open.
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Monfils’ athleticism was a major factor in his dominant win over Pouille, who admittedly was tired after playing three straight five-set matches, including what he called “the best win of my career” over Rafael Nadal in the round of 16 on Sunday.
Tenth seed Gael Monfils motored into the U.S. Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets dismissal of Marcos Baghdatis on Sunday launching a French charge at the year’s last grand slam championship.
The photo oversight was corrected by tournament organisers, but they can be slightly forgiven because until the start of a year ago, Sevastova was officially a former player.
“It’s my first match on the centre court, against Rafa”, Pouille who is still looking for his first ATP Tour title, said in an on-court interview.
Nadal, a two-time US Open champion, breezed through his opening three matches in Week 1, dropping only 20 games combined.
Roberta Vinci, who stunned Serena Williams on the way to last year’s U.S. Open final, says she will ponder retiring at the end of this season.
“Mentally I’m stronger, physically I’m stronger”, Pouille said of how his training has changed this season. “I was not confident before the match”.
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.
Sometimes I couldn’t even hear myself when I was saying ‘Allez, allez, allez.
He already was ahead 6-4, 4-3 when a brief shower led organizers to shut Ashe’s $150 million cover that is making its debut this year. I’m going to keep working to try to find.
Meanwhile, Nadal told media wing that “it was a close match and I would like to wish my opponent a best of luck for the upcoming matches”. Nadal said the Monday’s loss was not about the lack of mental or physical toughness but credited Pouille for coming up with a good fight.
“But I need something else, I need something more that was not there today”.
Nadal has enjoyed greater success away from the grand slams this year but he rejected the suggestion he is struggling to cope with the pressure. “That was something that I didn’t make today (Sunday)”. The opponent played a good point in the match point, and that’s it. He will play France’s Gaël Monfils in the quarterfinals.
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“Feels great to play a full match after a weird couple of days when I didn’t have too much tennis”, said Djokovic, who received a walkover into the third round when Czech Jiri Vesely pulled out of the tournament injured and played just six games before third-round foe Mikhail Youzhy retired. “I played three hours in the first match and three hours thirty minutes in the second match”.
