BSP-11 Nadal into US Open semi-final after epic triumph over Thiem

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Nadal into US Open semi-final after epic triumph over Thiem

NEW YORK, Sept 5, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Defending champion Rafael Nadal survived
an epic US Open quarter-final confrontation to defeat battling ninth seed
Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5) and reach the semi-finals
for the seventh time.

In a gripping 4-hour 49-minute contest which concluded at 2.04 a.m. on
Wednesday, world number one Nadal won through to keep his bid for a fourth
title in New York and 18th Grand Slam crown on track.

However, the 32-year-old was fortunate to triumph on another hot and humid
night at Flushing Meadows, 24 hours after Roger Federer had been dumped out
of the tournament by John Millman.

After suffering a first set ‘bagel’, Nadal had to battle back from breaks
in the third and fourth sets before seeing off the first top 20 player he had
faced at the US Open since 2013.

BSS/AFP/MSY/1216 hrs