US Open: Nadal's Victory at Two AM

The US Open tennis tournament (the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year) has reached the semifinals without Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Since February 2004, no one other than these four has been able to top the list of the best professional players in the world: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray. Among them, Murray lost in the second round to Fernando Verdasco from Spain. Roger Federer also surprisingly lost in the fourth round to John Millman from Australia. Federer won the first set and was leading 5-3 in the second set. He attributed his fatigue and decline in physical strength to the extreme heat and difficulty breathing. Federer was eliminated after not losing a single set in his previous three matches and having performed very well against Nick Kyrgios from Australia. Things are going well for Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal, who was placed in a section of the draw due to his top ranking and had easier opponents, faced significant threats in three matches. Karen Khachanov seemed close to victory, but Nadal's indomitable experience defeated the tough Russian opponent. Nikoloz Basilashvili from Georgia also managed to take a set from Nadal. However, the most thrilling match of the tournament so far was undoubtedly Nadal's five-hour battle with Dominic Thiem. The Austrian faced two American rivals on the brink of defeat, first Steve Johnson, who was leading 2-1 against him. Taylor Fritz also shone, causing Dominic to smash his racket multiple times in frustration. However, the match against Kevin Anderson in the fourth round unexpectedly saw a complete dominance from Dominic Thiem, who advanced to the quarterfinals without trouble. Nadal's clash with Thiem lasted five sets and about five hours. This exciting match, attended by a large number of spectators, ended at two AM New York time! An incredibly beautiful battle, with the first set surprisingly going 6-0 in favor of Thiem. Nadal then managed to find his form and until the final moments, it was impossible to determine who might win this captivating war. A brilliant display of Nadal's powerful forehands and Thiem's fierce backhands. After his victory, Nadal praised Dominic Thiem and his excellent play in a live interview on the court with Alex Corretja. Now, to reach the final, he has no choice but to overcome the towering Del Potro from Argentina. Nadal has won seventeen Grand Slams and is only three trophies away from Federer. Novak Djokovic, who broke his streak of failures by winning Wimbledon, has claimed thirteen Grand Slams. The prominent Serbian tennis player expected to face Federer in the quarterfinals, but with the Swiss rival's elimination, he now has an easier path to the semifinals against Federer’s unknown conqueror. In the women's tournament, Serena Williams, who entered the competition as the seventeenth seed, is now in the semifinals and has also eliminated her sister Venus along the way. Serena has won this tournament six times, the first time being in 1999! The longevity of the Williams sisters’ careers is one of the wonders of the sports world. In the men's competition, only John Isner managed to reach the quarterfinals from the USA, but in the women's competition, aside from Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys also made it to this round.