NEW YORK, Sept 6, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Rafael Nadal fell to his earliest US
Open loss in six years on Monday when he was knocked out by Frances Tiafoe
while Iga Swiatek became the first Polish woman to reach the quarter-finals.

Four-time US Open champion Nadal, bidding for a 23rd Grand Slam title, lost
6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the last-16 to 26th-ranked Tiafoe.

The American's free-swinging performance conjured up 18 aces and 49 winners
past a sluggish Nadal.

For Australian and French Open champion Nadal, it was a first Grand Slam loss
of 2022 after an abdominal strain forced him to forfeit his Wimbledon semi-
final.

His defeat came just a day after world number one and defending champion
Daniil Medvedev was knocked out also in the fourth round by Nick Kyrgios.

"I wasn't able to push him back. Tennis is a sport of positions a lot of the
time," said 36-year-old Nadal.

"You need to be very quick and very young. I am not in that moment anymore."

Nadal added: "I was not able to cause great damage. He was better than me."

Tiafoe, 24, will face Andrey Rublev, who he defeated over five sets in the
third round in 2021, for a place in the semi-finals.

"I don't know what to say, I'm so happy. He's one of the greatest of all time
and I played unbelievable tennis today," said Tiafoe who had only previously
reached one Slam quarter-final in Australia in 2019.

"Something special happened today. Honestly when I first came on the scene I
wasn't ready for it mentally and mature enough.

"I've been able to develop and I have a great team around me. With you guys,
it's been great."

Seventh seed Rublev shrugged off a rain delay to breeze past Cameron Norrie
and reach the quarter-finals for the third time with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win.

- 'Super happy' -

"It was two and a half hours, it was tough," said 24-year-old Rublev who had
needed four hours and five sets to get past Denis Shapovalov in the third
round.

"Cameron and I, we have known each other for a long time. I knew I had to
give my best."

Rublev, who also made the last-eight in New York in 2017 and 2020, will be
playing in his sixth quarter-final at the majors but has yet to progress
further.

French Open champion Swiatek recovered from a set and a break down to see off
108th-ranked German opponent Jule Niemeier, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.

In a mistake-riddled clash on Louis Armstrong Court, there were a total of 15
double faults, 12 breaks of serve and 76 unforced errors.

"It's really satisfying. This is my first quarter-final in New York so I am
really proud of it," said Swiatek.

Wimbledon quarter-finalist Niemeier hadn't won a hardcourt match in her
career before coming to New York.

However, she went into Monday's match not having dropped a set and fired up
to repeat her Wimbledon journey where she had also beaten world number two
Anett Kontaveit.

The 23-year-old from Dortmund swept through the opener and broke to lead 2-1
in the second set before Swiatek recovered to take control and reach her
third Slam quarter-final of 2022.

- Sabalenka stranglehold -

Swiatek will face US eighth seed Jessica Pegula for a place in the semi-
finals.

It will be the pair's third meeting this year with Swiatek coming out on top
on both occasions in Miami and at the French Open.

Pegula became the second American woman into the last-eight after brushing
aside two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-2.

World number six Aryna Sabalenka reached the quarter-finals for a second
successive year with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 over Australian Open runner-up Danielle
Collins.

Sabalenka has now beaten the American in New York three times in the last
five US Opens.

The Belarusian will next face 2016 runner-up Karolina Pliskova who downed
three-time finalist Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2.