World No.1 Rafael Nadal instigated a stunning comeback Wednesday morning to beat Dominic Thiem in a 5-hour epic battle and qualify for the semi-finals.
One day after his rival Roger Federer was knocked out of the competition, Nadal made sure not to follow the same path by displaying one of the best comebacks in the history of Grand Slam Champions. After losing the first set 0-6, the Spaniard looked done. He had lost 16 out of 21 points in a set that lasted only 24 minutes.
Then, he pressed the panic button. He hit his first serve and pushed back and forth to win 6-4 in the second set and 7-5 in the third set. An energetic Thiem took control of the fourth set winning 7-6 before Nadal upset him in the fifth set 7-6.
“A great battle, the conditions were tough, humid. For me it was a very tough start,” Nadal told reporters. “I tried to stay in the match some way in the second set. And I did.”
Asked how he was able to come from behind to defeat the Austrian, Nadal replied, “Suffering is the right word. It was a great battle.”
Thiem had a chance to avenge his loss to Nadal in the French Open earlier in June. But after the epic battle that saw the match head on for 4 hours and 49 minutes, the Austrian gave in. He had never lasted in a match for four hours before but he never showed any signs of fatigue until the final set.
If anything, the 25-year old played stylishly, hitting powerful winners set after set as crowds cheered him on at the Flushing Meadows. When the match ended, the two players were treated to a standing ovation.
