In the fourth round of the U.S. Open on Monday, American Frances Tiafoe defeated second seed Rafa Nadal 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 by playing the match of his life.
Nadal was defeated in a major for the first time this year, and he had been vying for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam victory.
Tiafoe broke Nadal for a fifth time to record possibly the biggest upset of the tournament, and he lapped up the enthusiasm from a roaring crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium while covering his face with his hands.
Tiafoe, seeded 22th, said in an interview while on the court, “I don’t even know what to say right now, I’m beyond pleased, I’m practically in tears.”
“It’s just unbelievable. He is unquestionably among the best of all time. I played incredible tennis today, but I have no idea what went wrong.”
