Downward spiral: Rafael Nadal knocked out of US Open by Fabio Fognini
Two-time champion Rafael Nadal crashed to his earliest US Open exit in 10 years when Italy’s Fabio Fognini pulled off a sensational 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 third-round victory.
The stunning result confirmed the sad, sudden decline of the 14-time major winner, who until Friday had won 151 grand slam matches when he had taken the first two sets.
Nadal will also finish the season without at least one grand slam title for the first time since 2004.
It was the 15th defeat of his miserable year, which has seen him beat just two top-10 players and where his best performances at the majors were quarter-final runs at the Australian and French Opens.
It was an incredible match to come from two sets down against Rafa who is one of the best players in the world
Fognini, the 32nd seed, becomes the first Italian in the last 16 at the US Open since Davide Sanguinetti in 2005 and will face Spain’s Feliciano Lopez for a place in the quarter-finals.
“It was very tough against him,” said Fognini, who smashed 70 winners, committed 57 unforced errors and saved 11-of-19 break points in his all-or-nothing assault.
“It was an incredible match to come from two sets down against Rafa who is one of the best players in the world.”
“After the first two sets, I said ‘OK, just concentrate, keep trying and anything can happen.’ The fifth set was really difficult for both of us.”
Nadal had raced into a routine two-sets-to-love lead.
He was also a break up in both the third and fourth sets.
But the colourful, sometimes controversial 28-year-old Italian rallied with some superb shot-making as the Arthur Ashe Stadium duel ticked towards and past 1am.
By the end of the fourth set, the statistics were telling.
Fognini broke for 2-1 in the decider with Nadal looking increasingly punch-drunk, an appearance with which the watching Tiger Woods would have painfully sympathised.
Nadal, stretched to a five-setter at the US Open for only the second time in his career, came off the ropes to hit back for 2-2 with a breathtaking running forehand winner which had the crowd on its feet.
Fognini pounced again, breaking for 3-2, then cracked as the 14-time major winner clawed his way back for 3-3.
The non-holding pattern continued as a seventh successive break, sealed with a backhand winner crosscourt, put Fognini back in the driving seat and serving for the match at 5-4.
This time he did not falter, claiming victory when Nadal hit a weary backhand wide.
