With one knee causing inconvenience, the reigning champion of the tournament survived a long-awaited third round test and won 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3) to the Russian Karen Khachanov, in one a lively game that lasted 4 hours and 23 minutes on Friday.
"I managed to escape from a huge bond," said Nadal after defeating an opponent who was younger than he was for a decade.
After giving the first set, Nadal asked the physiotherapist's presence to connect the right knee, the same one that caused problems in the past. The Spaniard got more band during a break of 10 minutes and the score 5-5 in the second quarter when the roof of the Arthur Ashe stadium was closed due to rain.
Nadal did not want to dig on the knee.
"I do not want to talk about the knee, we're in the middle of an important tournament and all I think is that I'll be 100 percent for the next round," said Nadal. "It was a little less important, in general … All the things that happen have an impact on the game, I asked them to make a connection to me to get some support, nothing more. & # 39;
Nadal spent the whole afternoon, required by the Russian tower of 1.98 meters (6.6 feet).
At the edge of the abyss at different times, the champion of 17 majors always reacted with his omnipresent claw and steel temperament when he was two points lower than two sets, two points to give the third partial and a point to lose the fourth and go to a fifth.
"Everyone has complicated moments", Nadal acknowledged. "We have to find the solution at the right time to keep on choosing the ultimate goals, and today I have found the solution."
Under a gray sky was the point of the game in the fifth set of ball that Nadal had to win the manga. The 22-year-old Russian was in a marathon rally of 39 shots and ended with a backhand-return on the net.
"It was a very entertaining game for the people," Nadal commented. "There have been very good points, very long points, of nervous drama … but it does not mean that I feel I have to do things better".
Looking for a fourth title in New York, Nadal agreed with the round of 16 for the tenth time in his last 11 games in the last Grand Slam of the season.
His opponent will in turn be another player with an aggressive game, Nikoloz Basilashvili. The Georgian power overwhelmed the Argentinian Guido Pella in a duel against two players who reached the third round of the US Open for the first time. Basilashvili won the initiative and won 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) against Pella.
"It was not that I fell asleep, but was surprised by how hard it struck him," Pella said.
South African Kevin Anderson (5th seed), who lost to Nadal in last year's final, also passed his own test against the rising player and defeated 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6- 4 Canadian Denis Shapovalov (28).
Meanwhile, the Austrian Dominic Thiem (9) had to be used again thoroughly to beat 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-4 against American Taylor Fritz. Thiem had just won a match of five sets against his colleague Steve Johnson.
Earlier in the day, defending champion Sloane Stephens reached the round of 16 with a victory over the former number one Victoria Azarenka. Stephens (3rd seed) dominated the last three games after a short break in what closed the roof of the Ashe and finished 6-3, 6-4 for the double second Azarenka.
Stephens seemed to control the game by taking a 3-1 lead in the second set, but she was 4-3 behind when Belarus Azarenka won three games in a row. With a light drizzle, the game was interrupted as the deck closed – although it was played on all other tracks, including the new Louis Armstrong stadium, the other arena at Flushing Meadows with retractable roof
"I had a little angel who looked above me," said the American. "Bad luck for her."
Stephens will find a place in the quarterfinals when he faces the Belgian Elise Mertens (15th seed). AP
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