AFTER almost five hourse of gripping tennis, defending champion Rafael Nadal has beaten ninth-seed Dominic Thiem in a five set tie-breaker at the US Open.
Nadal finally prevailed 0-6 6-4 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-5) at 2.04am New York time after a match that lasted four hours and 49 minutes, the longest ever at the tournament.
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media_camera Nadal struggled in the heat early, as he lost the first set 6-0. Picture: AP
It was only the fourth time in 282 career grand slam matches that Nadal lost a set by a 6-0 score and the first time he won the match after that kind of start.
Nadal also trailed by a break in the third set before taking it against the Austrian. He came within two points of victory late in the fourth set before being pushed to a fifth, where he was two points from a loss. But the Spaniard held on and is into the semi-finals at a third consecutive major tournament as he bids for a fourth US Open title and 18th grand slam trophy overall.
Nadal will meet Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals.
media_camera Rafael Nadal (left) and Dominic Thiem hug after the match. Picture: Getty Images
media_camera Rafael Nadal plays a return against Dominic Thiem on Wednesday.
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KOMPAS.com - Kompetisi tenis US Open 2018 memiliki beberapa kejutan, mulai dari kekalahan Roger Federer di babak 16 besar hingga rompi yang dikenakan Rafael Nadal dan Maria Sharapova.
Rompi tersebut baru pertama kali terlihat dalam pertandingan tenis, pun debut bagi Nadal untuk mengenakannya.
Dilansir dari Highsnobiety , aksesoris tersebut merupakan rompi pendingin ( cooling vest) yang didesain untuk mengurangi tekanan di tubuh karena panas dan kelembapan tinggi.
Saat pertandingan, temperatur di lapangan bisa mencapai 35 derajat dengan kelembapan hampir 50 persen. Karena itu, Nike berusaha memastikan para atlet tetap dingin dan mencapai performa 100 persen.
Menurut Nike, meskipun rompi tersebut sudah menjalani uji coba berkali-kali, ini adalah kali pertama dipakai untuk kompetisi tenis.
Prototipe yang dipakai di US Open ini dikembangkan Nike Sport Research Lab, setelah para peneliti Nike menemukan 75 persen energi seorang atlet menjadi panas, meningkatkan suhu tubuh.
Rompi ini berfungsi menaruh empat paket pendingin yang khusus menutup area permukaan tubuh bagian depan dan belakang.
Nadal mengungkapkan, apa pun yang dapat mengurangi panas sangatlah bermanfaat.
“Kami biasanya menggunakan handuk basah agar tetap dingin, tapi rompi ini memberi saya rasa lega di semua tempat yang saya butuhkan. Setiap area rompi dirancang dengan mempertimbangkan kondisi pemain.”
Federer saw his US Open dreams fade after a shock defeat to John Millman, who stunned the 27-year-old 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 7-6 to progress to the last eight. He was in a dejected mood after the match, with a Flushing Meadows triumph evading him for the tenth year in a row. Roger Federer was asked by a reporter whether he was the best player of all time, knowing full well that his response could include comments made about Nadal, Sampras, McEnroe or Djokovic. And the Swiss supremo was in no mood to give a straight answer, saying: “Yeah, I don't know.
“It is awkward in some ways, and it's a bit of a trap at times because you answer it 50 times and you have to answer it 50 times exactly the same, or you change it up a bit and then it sounds different. “People pick out whatever they want to hear, so obviously I've gotten used to talking about it, being in the conversation. “And looking at my results, obviously, I'm amazed how far I've come myself. “Then again, I'm still playing, and as long as I'm playing, for me, there is no reason to start comparing to the other ones because I haven't finished.
Roger Federer took issue with Rafael Nadal bait after his US Open defeat
Roger Federer was dumped out of the US Open by John Millman
“I think I should be judged then. “At the same time, obviously, I'm very pleased with how well my career has gone. “I am more comfortable today in front of the press and in the public eye than I used to be. There is no doubt about that.” Milan’s win over Federer will see him lock horns with the resurgent Novak Djokovic.
Roger Federer last won the US Open back in 2008
Nadal recovered from a first-set bagel to defeat Thiem in another late-night classic at New York's Flushing Meadows. Twenty-four hours after Roger Federer lost to John Millman, his old rival avoided following him out of the tournament, but only just, completing a 0-6 6-4 7-5 6-7 (4/7) 7-6 (7/5) victory at 2.03am. Ninth seed Thiem became the first player since Andy Roddick in 2004 to win a love set against Nadal in New York but the defending champion once again dug deep to come out on top of a gruelling battle played in more punishing humidity. He will now face Del Potro for a place in the final but admits he apologised to Thiem after dumping him out.
“I just said ‘I am very sorry. You are very good’,” Nadal said afterwards. “He has plenty of time to win big tournaments and has everything. He is a fighter with a great attitude so that is the most important thing. “He is a very well educated guy and a top person. “I am sorry for him but I am sure he will have his chances in the future, without a doubt.”
Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem clash at the US Open
Dominic Thiem will be eager for revenge after his French Open final defeat
Nadal vs Thiem LIVE action: US Open latest Nadal 7-6 (7-5) Thiem Remarkable. Rafael Nadal is through. Thiem misses a smash and Nadal progresses to play Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals. Nadal 6-6 (3-3) Thiem All square as the players swap ends. Nadal 6-6 Thiem Nadal holds and we go to a fifth set tie-break. Nadal 5-6 Thiem Nadal has three break points at 0-40 but Thiem somehow battles back and holds. Nadal 5-5 Thiem And another hold, this time from Nadal. Nadal 4-5 Thiem Holds again and Thiem is one game away, though Nadal is serving. Nadal 3-4 Thiem Holds all round again. Will it be down to a tie break? Nadal 2-3 Thiem Nadal has two break points at 15-40 but Thiem wins five points in a row to hold. Nadal 2-2 Thiem And again. One break looks like it will be enough. It's tense. Nadal 1-1 Thiem Holds for both at the start of the fifth set. 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 Thiem levels it up and we're going to go to the distance! 6-6 Tie-break time Nadal 6-5 Thiem Nadal needs to break to win the match. Nadal 5-4 Thiem Nadal just one game away from taking the match. Can he do it? Nadal 4-4 Thiem Nadal breaks back. Is Thiem feeling the pressure? Nadal 1-2 Thiem Big break from Thiem in the fourth set. There have already been quite a few twists and turns. Will this match go the distance?
Rafael Nadal has been taken to a fifth set by Dominic Thiem at the US Open
