WHAT HAPPENED: In a taut, tense and titanic battle, played largely under a closed roof in Arthur Ashe Stadium Friday afternoon, No. 1 Rafael Nadal withstood a tall challenge from the 6-foot-6, hard-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov, coming back from one set and a break down in the second, to emerge with a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, 7-6 victory and advance to the fourth round.
A relentless Nadal overcame that early deficit, as well as a right-knee injury that required taping and hampered the Spaniard's movement and confidence for the first two sets, to defeat the offensive-minded, 23rd-seeded Russian in the 4 hours, 23 minutes.
Commentating for ESPN, John McEnroe said it was the kind of match "that makes you proud to be a tennis player" and that Khachanov "played the match of his life" in defeat.
Nadal needed four set points, including an epic, 39-ball rally on the final one, to snatch the pressure-filled third-set tiebreak and take a lead in the match for the first time. The Spaniard barely eked out the tiebreak, 9 points to 7, even though Khachanov donated three points with double faults in the breaker.
"I escaped a very tough situation," said Nadal on court after his hard-fought win. "I needed that set."
With Khachanov’s spirit momentarily deflated, Nadal captured an early break of serve in the fourth set. But there was time for another plot twist. Serving for the match at 5-3, Nadal suddenly faltered and surrendered his serve, and Khachanov won three straight games to force a second tiebreak.
The final tiebreak was all Nadal, however. The four-set victory was the longest of Nadal's US Open career.
WHAT IT MEANS: Nadal came into this third-rounder with a 4-0 lifetime head-to-head over Khachanov, having won all nine sets they’d played. But their last encounter, in the semifinal of the Toronto ATP Masters 1000 this summer, was extremely tight: 7-6, 6-4.
Khachanov, 22, has massive weapons but until today had not demonstrated the belief that he could defeat the top men on tour. This may be the match that alters his mindset. The Russian played confidently throughout – with high-risk tennis that produced 66 winners and 22 aces – matching one of the tour’s greatest warriors stroke for stroke, pushing the world No. 1 to the limit.
MATCH POINT: It remains to be seen how Nadal bounces back from this tight battle and the extent of his knee injury. But fans may remember this as the moment the 22-year-old Khachanov – "Silent K" Brad Gilbert calls him, as the K in his surname is not pronounced – announced his arrival on tour.
