Rafael Nadal lost his first Grand Slam match of 2022 to American Frances Tiafoe in four sets at the US Open. 22-time Grand Slam Champion Nadal has won the Australian Open & French Open this season but was forced to retire at Wimbledon due to injury. The Spaniard was therefore unbeaten at major tournaments heading into New York but suffered a surprising defeat to the 22nd seed in the last 16.
Tiafoe excited his home crowd with some impressive tennis and beat Nadal 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 to reach the quarter finals for the first time. He will now face Russian ninth seed Andrey Rublev for a place in the semi-finals.
After the loss 36-year-old Nadal seemed unsure about his future in the sport. He is due to play at the Laver Cup in London later in the month alongside Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic. However, he has struggled with injury in recent months and his wife is expecting a child so he may decide to take an extended break from the court.
Elsewhere, teenager Carlos Alcaraz beat 2014 champion Marin Cilic to book his place in the quarter finals. This result means there will be a first-time Grand Slam winner crowned after Sunday’s final with all remaining men’s players yet to win a major title.
“Rafael Nadal” by Doha Stadium Plus is licensed under CC BY 2.0.