US Open: US Open: Thiem loses five-set thriller against Nadal

Dominic Thiem is eliminated in the quarter-finals after a great tennis match at the US Open 2018. The Austrian lost to Rafael Nadal after more than four hours of play in five sets.

By Jens Huiber from New York City

Dominic Thiem can leave the US Open 2018 with his head held high. And yet mourn a great opportunity. Austria’s number one challenged defending champion Rafael Nadal, but after 4:49 hours of play, he was beaten 6:0, 4:6, 5:7, 7:6 (4) and 6:7 (5).

“It was a great fight in tough conditions,” said Nadal, admitting to having suffered: “I had a bad start, then I said to myself,’Wake up!’ I was just trying to stay in the match. “I’m so sorry for Domi, he’s a close friend on the tour and a great fighter.” Nadal will face Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated John Isner in four sets, in the semi-final on Friday.

In the coin toss, Dominic Thiem faced 23 Grand Slam titles on the other side of the net: Along with Rafael Nadal, Boris Becker had gone to court.

Dominic Thiem could not have got off to a better start: In the first 24 minutes, the Austrian won 24 points and only lost seven. The last time Rafael Nadal lost a set to zero in a Grand Slam tournament? 2006 in Wimbledon against Roger Federer. And two years earlier in the second round of the US Open against Andy Roddick.

It was clear to everyone present at Arthur Ashe Stadium, including the two main players, that things could not go on in this key. Nadal wrote after half an hour, managed his serve to 1-0. In the eighth game Domnic Thiem had an almost forgotten experience: Breakballs against himself.

Against Kevin Anderson, Thiem was not embarrassed once, but Rafael Nadal is one category higher than the South African. The Spaniard set the score at 5-3, but Thiem immediately hit back and got the re-break.

And Nadal? Had a few moments later the opportunity to celebrate the set equalization. Thiem offered too many mistakes, finally chasing out a forehand.

In the third set, Thiem slowly approached a break, had chances in the third game and finally reported that the match was 3-2. Until 5-4, the set ran with the serve, Rafael Nadal of course did not want to give up, came with his second chance on serve Thiem to balance. The American audience, not known for clapping rhythmically in tennis matches, did just that.

Nadal took the support, took the lead with the next break to 7:5 with 2:1 sets. Thiem in turn received the greatest support from Kristina Mladenovic, who honoured every point of her friend standing ovations.

The fourth act saw Dominic Thiem in the advantage again. The man from Lichtenwörth managed the 2-1 break one day after his 25th birthday and two games later missed two more possibilities to create clear conditions. Rafael Nadal again filed claims, equalized to 4:4, then fended off a break chance from Thiem.

Next in the eleventh game. At 0:38 am local time Nadal could have got his first match point with a simple forehand volley. The bullet landed in the net, Thiem saved himself in the tiebreak. He took a 3-0 lead, then 5-2 and 6-3 and Nadal pocketed the eleventh point of the short decision in the net. Set compensation after 3:36 hours.

Thiem changed shoes and socks, immediately found his playing rhythm again. Especially as the Austrian was allowed to start a set with serve for the first time. In the fifth game Nadal worked his way through two break chances, Thiem fended off both, the second with his 16th ace. The Spaniard now acted more offensively, looking for the way to the net more quickly. 24 hours earlier Roger Federer and John Millman had severe physical problems in similar conditions, especially the Swiss. Nadal and Thiem, on the other hand, still showed high-speed tennis after more than four hours of playing time.

And Nadal now went after almost every ball to the net, put Thiem permanently under pressure. And he almost gave in: In the eleventh game Nadal found three break balls, Thiem could fend off all three. And with the best point of the match you have the chance to win 6:5. Game win Thiem. The fact that the decision had to be made in the tie-break was only logical in this thriller.

Two Minibreaks at the beginning, then Nadal held his serve first, Thiem equalled to 2-2, then sent a forehand too far on the journey – and played an incomprehensible point to 3-3 and held his service until 5-4. At 2:03 local time there was the first match point: for Rafael Nadal. And Thiem put a smash in the out. After 4:49 hours of play.

“Dominic will win many more matches,” Nadal explained after the match in the interview on the pitch. He was a good friend and a great guy on the tour. Just a little consolation for Dominic Thiem, who probably played the best match of his career.

Here is the men’s single tableau at the US Open