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Fourth set: *Tiafoe 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 1-2 Nadal* (*indicates next server) Nadal holds, and the decision is made to close the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Somewhat surprisingly, they will play with the wheels in motion.
Fourth set: Tiafoe 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 1-1 Nadal* (*indicates next server) A manual baseline chop shot from Nadal keeps Tiafoe on his toes, but the first serve takes the american problems. It hasn’t been particularly accurate, but when they land, they won’t come back.
Fourth set: *Tiafoe 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 0-1 Nadal (*indicates next server) Tiafoe leads 15-30, but Nadal pulls off a stunning rally before raise your arms It won’t go quietly, but Tiafoe goes right back to grab a break point. A great second serve saves Nadal, and he finds an ace and another unreturnable first serve to hold.
Nadal is off the court again for treatment, so there will be a slight delay before the fourth set. Tiafoe looks to be in control of this match, but we’re talking about Rafael Nadal.
While we wait, here’s Tumaini Carayol on Jessica Pegula, who is somehow having an unknown career despite being the best player in the USA.
Frances Tiafoe wins the third set, advances 2-1! Thank you, Daniel. Nadal holds the serve comfortably enough; now, can he pressure Tiafoe? He takes the first point but Tiafoe will not be denied, moving freely on his way to two points from seven. And an ace out wide gets it.
Frances Tiafoe celebrates after winning the third set. Photo: Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports
Updated at 10.20pm BST
Righto, that’s me for tonight. But don’t be afraid! Niall McVeigh is here to guide you through what’s next. Ta-ra!
Nadal goes 0-15, so he lands a 132 mph ace, right into the corner. Oh yes, and another one! Still, when Tiafoe finds himself at 40-30 and second serve, there’s a bit of pressure…so he goes behind, forcing Nadal to go for something wild instead of putting the ball back in play, and now it’s a match away. the third set in 6-4 4-6 5-3!
Updated at 22.02 BST
Armstrong, Azarenka and Pliskova are out.
Apparently it’s going to rain in the next hour; I imagine that given how wet they let Ashe get early this afternoon, they’ll be more proactive about closing the quicksmart on the roof. But hello! Tiafoe gets 30-40 and his second break point of the match! And he takes it, doing a glorious backhand down the line, one of those he knew he was going to nail before he got there, so he ran it and went straight back to his seat! It’s buzzing! Tiafoe 6-4 4-6 4-3 Christmas
At 3-2, Nadal hits a good, deep return that makes it 0-15 and Martina tells us that while her mother was watching her play, she wore sunglasses so no one could see that her eyes were closed, she couldn’t keep looking at her Oh I love it, I have no idea how parents of athletes put up with it, I know I couldn’t. Anyway, Tiafoe keeps that 15, sealing the deal with a ridiculous ace timed at 138 mph. “Come on Francis, hit it!” says Martina. “I want to see 140, stop yelling at him!” We are 3-3 in the third.
Back on Ashe, we’re level 6-4 4-6 2-2, both men serving as demons. You’ve got to like Nadal, obviously, but Tiafoe is good in this, but can he stay that way when he’s fit?
Updated at 21.52 BST
Swiatek is happy to have won and is grateful for the vocal support she gets from any Pole she plays wherever she plays. The most important thing for her is the result, but she is trying to focus on the process and is happy to reach the last eight, the furthest she has ever gone at Flushing Meadows. He was wearing headphones when he came out so they asked him what he was listening to and he tells us it’s Pearl Jam and Led Zep; she’s bored with it, but the year has gone so well that she doesn’t feel able to change things.
Every Swiatek [1] beat Jule Niemeier 2-6 6-4 6-0!
This is their 19th love set of the year! Ridiculous He didn’t play well today, but he found a way and then he meets Pegula. This is a different challenge, but I’m sure he’ll come up with it again, while Niemeier has a lot to build on – this was his first US Open and he’s only 23 years old.
Iga Swiatek celebrates after defeating Jule Niemeier. Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images
Updated at 9.35pm BST
Niemeier misses three break points and finds himself trailing 0-5 in the third. I think it will be a strength, though, and it will be much better for this discomfort, although I’m sure it doesn’t feel that way at the moment.
Yes, and Ashe has also invested, Nadal raising his first breaks of the match which are also set points; Tiafoe doubles and we are now tied at 6-4 4-6. It’s typical Christmas really, seemingly on the brink of physical collapse, but actually nowhere near it.
Oh Juli! I’m afraid to say she’s gone – Swiatek isn’t playing that well, but she just secured the double break at love for 4-0 in the decider. On comms, they consider Niemeier to have played the opponent off the ball, but I wonder if they might have just smashed it – it’s insanely hot and I doubt the pressure is particularly excruciating.
At 4-4 in the second set, Nadal shoots low and tired, throws a double and gives Tiafoe a goal at two; Tiafoe is there too, only to go early with an easy ball and push into the net. Anguish! Naturally, Nadal finds a big forehand and now leads 5-4 in the second, while Swiatek consolidates his break to lead Niemeier, fighting back on his second serve, 3-0 in the third.
Rafael Nadal serves to Frances Tiafoe. Photo: Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports
Updated at 9.30pm BST
Facing two break points, Niemeier saves the first with a fantastic deflected serve backed by a clearing wrong-foot forehand into the same corner, then another booming forehand encourages Swiatek to surge forward in response. But Swiatek keeps it going, finally securing the break, and Niemier has to reset quickly; she went 0-2 in the decider.
Calvin Betton, our relevant coach, texts Tiafoe again: “Tiafoe is too nice a kid to be part of the elite. He’s not a killer.”
However, Nadal is not moving like he usually does and is getting hit from behind. I really like him to take this one home, even though Nadal just loved himself and only dropped two points on serve in this set.
Eesh, Niemeier gives up another break, the seventh we’ve seen in eight games, and this time it costs him the set because he’s run out of break opportunities. Swiatek 2-6 6-4 Niemeier
Nadal is doing well now, but the problem for him is that Tiafoe is too; what’s surprising, though, is that nothing has changed, still struggling to raise capital as it faces a second delivery. So in communications, they wonder if her body limits what she can do: “It doesn’t make sense for someone of her height to do what doesn’t work,” says Martina. Anyway, it’s 2-2 in the second, Tiafoe has taken the first 6-4.
Frances Tiafoe shoots without looking. Photo: Cj Gunther/EPA
Updated at 21.39 BST
My God, Niemeier makes it 30-40… and Swiatek double faults to get the break back! She has some harsh words for herself at the change of ends, but she is struggling and knows it, losing 2-6 5-4.
A good free-kick into the right-hand corner is too good even for Niemeier, and Swiatek roars his delight on the break. She is pumped, and at 5-3 it will serve for 1-1.
Thanks Tom Nadal has held in the first game of the second set, while Niemeier is serving 6-2 3-4 40-40; Swiatek whistles in fury to allow him to make it a ten with another clean groundstroke.
Nadal is back on the court after that medical timeout. He was off the court for nearly 10 minutes, so we’ll see how that affects Tiafoe’s momentum after taking the first set. And on this bomb, I’ll give it back to Daniel.
It’s business as usual with Iga Swiatek after breaking Niemeier twice in the second to take a 4-2 lead. His radar is still off, and his 27th unforced error of the day makes it 15-40 and gives Niemeier a chance to get the set back on serve. Which he does on the first attempt, with a ribbed reverse.
Nadal is taping and treating his wrist after losing that first set.
Tiafoe serves for the set against Nadal. If he’s nervous, he doesn’t show it on the outside and soon it’s 40-0. Well, maybe there are a few nerves – he needs a double fault to make it 40-15. Then a brilliant Nadal backhand sinks down the court for 40-30. The next point is perfect for the American, though, as he moves Nadal back and forth before taking the set with a volley. Tiafoe leads Nadal 6-4 after the first set.
It’s worth remembering that Rafa also lost the first set in two of his first three matches here. But Tiafoe is a far superior player to Fabio Fognini and Rinky Hijikata.
Swiatek breaks against Niemeier, so we’re back on serve in the second set.
Iga Swiatek returns to Jule Niemeier. Photograph: Edward Muñoz/AP
Updated at 20.31 BST
That last match was the first time Tiafoe had broken Nadal in their three matches together. He’s 0-30 down early in the next game as he aims to consolidate the break, but fights back to 40-30 with a beautiful forehand smash. Nadal responds with a backhand winner and we are at two. With the lead, Tiaefoe lets a shot fly over him, but it lands. Finally it holds 5-3.
Meanwhile, Niemeier has broken Swiatek and only needs to hold serve for the rest of the second set to dispatch the #1 seed!
Niemeier continues to make it difficult for Swiatek. The No. 1 seed serves to open the second set after losing the first and her opponent takes it to two before holding. Meanwhile, Nadal is 0-30 behind Tiafoe after an unforced error – he already has eight so far in the first set. The American has a good chance to make it 0-40 but sends his shot wide. There is a short break…