Rafael Nadal was sent packing out of the 2022 US Open, losing to Frances Tiafoe in four sets in the Round of 16.
The Round of 16 at the US Open commenced on Labor Day, and one of tennis brightest stars was competing inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Rafael Nadal, the second-ranked men’s tennis player in the world, was looking to win the US Open for the first time since 2019. Standing in his way was No. 22 ranked Frances Tiafoe out of the United States.
Tiafoe was able to pull off the massive upset, defeating Nadal 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the US Open. With that, Nadal’s 22 match Grand Slam winning streak has come to an end.
Frances Tiafoe pulls off huge upset win over Rafael Nadal in US Open
There were plenty of reactions on Twitter regarding Tiafoe’s incredible performance against one of the top tennis players in history.
https://twitter.com/espnstatsinfo/status/1566914472241168384?s=21&t=6XUW5X6xx3CUOYcoPkub4A
Rafael Nadal has lost a match at a major for the first time in 2022.
The 22-time major champ goes down to Frances Tiafoe 64 46 64 63. Tiafoe, 24, becomes the youngest American man into the #usopen QF since Andy Roddick in 2006
— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) September 5, 2022
According to the ESPN broadcast, Tiafoe is the first American man to reach the US Open quarterfinals since John Isner did back in 2018. The history does not end there. Tiafoe is now the third American to ever defeat Nadal in a major. The other players to do so were Andy Roddick and James Blaker, per ESPN Stats and Info.
Not only that, but Nadal’s streak of 16 consecutive major quarterfinals appearances has reached its end, per ESPN Stats and Info.
In his post-match interview, Tiafoe shouted out his “favorite basketball player in the NBA,” Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, who was in attendance at the US Open in support.
Now, Tiafoe will look to take down another top 10 tennis player in this US Open tournament. On Wednesday, Sept. 7, he will take on ninth-ranked Andrey Rublev. Tiafoe looks to become the first Amreican man to win the US Open since Roddick did back in 2003.
