Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal needed nearly five hours to defeat ninth seed Dominic Thiem in a deciding tie-break.
The world No. 1 will now play Juan Martin del Potro on Friday for a place in Sunday’s final.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
2 warriors… doesn’t get any better !!! @RafaelNadal @ThiemDomi @usopen pic.twitter.com/1pB31WkR6Y
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) September 5, 2018
Just recovering from the @ThiemDomi @RafaelNadal match last night. One of the best matches Ive ever seen in my life. The fitness level and mental toughness in those conditions for 4:45 mins is just crazy. Absolute epic!
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) September 5, 2018
They are not real ❤️🙌🏻 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Sr8NbAhdOI
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) September 5, 2018
Están locos @ThiemDomi @RafaelNadal 🔥🎾💥✅ pic.twitter.com/ASVgIfZAdP
— diego schwartzman (@dieschwartzman) September 5, 2018
.@usopen Absolutely incredible tennis last night. Phenomenal quality! Almost 5 hours top class tennis. Both @RafaelNadal and @ThiemDomi showed some endurance and speed of another level. Amazing battle of two real warriors! #USOpen #Nadal #Thiem
— Nicolas Kiefer (@Nicolas_Kiefer) September 5, 2018
This Nadal Thiem match is amazing!
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) September 5, 2018
#respect Epic Match. https://t.co/htVtyJNAgY
— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) September 5, 2018
@RafaelNadal @ThiemDomi WHAT A MATCH!!!!!!
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) September 5, 2018
Iron Man Rafa💪 winning that third set from 3-5 was massive. so tough when it REALLY matters, insane match from both!! https://t.co/xxQldaXdiz
— Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) September 5, 2018
What’s an incredible match between @RafaelNadal vs @ThiemDomi . Rafa has to be the greatest competitor in our sport ever. It’s amazing how he can turn around and win any match. Thank goodness for a final set tiebreaker and 2 days off before the semifinals on Friday.
— Greg Rusedski (@GregRusedski1) September 5, 2018
3am in NYC…can’t sleep after that epic. Night matches @usopen are something quite special. So were @RafaelNadal and @ThiemDomi tonight.Thanks for the memory, it will be etched in my brain forever.
— Rob Koenig (@RobKoenigTennis) September 5, 2018
We know the @RafaelNadal game is amazing, but this off-the-chart, positive attitude is a true inspiration! Rafa’s love of the game, his zest for life, his humbleness make him a terrific role model. https://t.co/sDkAVsvnjq
— Tracy Austin (@thetracyaustin) September 5, 2018
Q lindo q es el tenis la Puta Madre !!!!! @usopen ❤️❤️❤️
— Juan Monaco (@picomonaco) September 5, 2018
What a match last night!! Congrats to @ThiemDomi and @RafaelNadal on a spectacular display of talent, determination, sportsmanship, and exceptional tennis. Both gave everything they had. Both are winnners. Rafa’s fighting spirit is a wonder to behold. What a competitor!
— Nick Bollettieri (@NickBollettieri) September 5, 2018
thank you guys for 4:45h pure class ! the level of tennis you produced was out of this world. definitly one of the best matches i‘ve seen in my life ! 2 winners and one of them moved to… https://t.co/zlmJabDpz0
— Julian Knowle (@Jknowle) September 5, 2018
So glad I witnessed almost FIVE HOURS of classic tennis. Thiem and Nadal. One for the ages. #USOpen
— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) September 5, 2018
Amazing match last night! This is the beauty of 3 out of 5 sets. Two incredible athletes and warriors laying everything on the line, competing at the highest level. @usopen #RafaelNadal #DominicThiem
— Michael Russell (@MRusselltennis) September 5, 2018
I know damn well I had no business staying up this late, but I’m so glad I did! Nadal-Thiem #USOpen50 @RafaelNadal
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) September 5, 2018
2 gentlemen playing top class tennis. It’s a shame someone has to lose in matches like these but they are both fantastic role models. Hats off @RafaelNadal @ThiemDomi #class https://t.co/VgjEy9QHdM
— Marcus Willis (@Willbomb90) September 5, 2018
Last night and this morning @usopen we were treating to an epic five set match ending with tie breaker by @ThiemDomi @RafaelNadal that will be remembered as the Blake Agassi, Connors Krickstein of this generation. It did finish too late for most. @espn
— Pam Shriver (@PHShriver) September 5, 2018
THAT feeling 👏👏👏 https://t.co/7WjXQf4AJa
— Melanie Oudin (@melanie_oudin) September 5, 2018
John McEnroe paid @RafaelNadal and @ThiemDomi the ultimate compliment when he said at the end that watching them compete made him proud to have once been a tennis player.
— Ed Werder (@EdwerderRFA) September 5, 2018
Epic @RafaelNadal @ThiemDomi .
Brilliant 5 set tennis on the full limiter @usopen . The two men were bulls out there, relentless.
Thanks guys, huge respect. 👍👋#atpworldtour #usopen #passion #tennis #sport #respect #inspiring
— roger rasheed (@roger_rasheed) September 5, 2018
Epic match yesterday against @RafaelNadal you are absolutely amazing! Good luck for the semis! #USopen pic.twitter.com/aihuaGKLVB
— Dominic Thiem (@ThiemDomi) September 5, 2018
On my way back to the hotel now. Amazing match against a great player and great guy! And thanks #newyork for the amazing atmosphere and support @usopen pic.twitter.com/DuT2N9YcPg
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) September 5, 2018
One of the best maches have ever seen.they play like it was the finals so good and exiting much vamosssssssssss champ and good luck on Friday love your fans and you can do it 👍👍👍👍👍🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸
Stay healthy-all the best against Delpo🍀👏💪👍❤️
can someone answer for me the following question. I was always under the impression that the only master series tournaments nadal has not won were sjanghai, paris and miami. I read yesterday that it is only miami and paris that he didnt win. Can someone clarify this
I read/heard that Shanghai used to be Madrid (indoor, 2005-2008), which Rafa won in 2005.
It’s confusing isn’t it? So he won Shanghai when it wasn’t in Shanghai:) He will have to win it again in Shanghai just so we avoid the explanations.
although novak won in three sets he is clearly struggling with the heat and humidity. So you never know i think of all the three nadal is the best one handling the heat and humidity since he is from mallorca
Tomorrow i hope for a night match between nadal and del potro. Furthermore nadal needs to be a killer on the court at wimbeldon he started well but he waisted setpoints in the third set tiebreak that can not happen tomorrow
Right on. Rafa needs to be more clinical on important points. We don’t need no roller coaster in the Del Potro match. But then, their previous two GS matches have gone the distance…
Absolutely stunning,this is why I love tennis to witness such greatness from to epic players like Rafa and Dominic is a privailige,fabulous players,amazing gentleman X
Vamos Rafa! Have 2 days of Rest and get fresh for Semis with Delpo. I have no dought that you are going to get your 18 the GS this Sunday..,
Dr. Sanjay – i just love your positive attitude. Yes Rafa will win his 18th!!!
Thanks Susie.I am am a Hard core RAFA fan from India for last 15 years .
If nadal will beat del potro and reached the final then he will face with bad news. According to reports there will be rain on sunday that means playing under closed roof and we all remember who benefit from it at wimbeldon lets hope that will not happen
In one of his post-match interviews on court (R3 or R4), Rafa said that he thought the roof was too high to make a difference to the conditions. I don’t think it will be as significant a factor as it was at Wimbledon. Also, playing under the roof is something that he can plan for days in advance, compared to Wimbledon when it was sprung on him. I hope this makes you feel better.
Was a really an epic match <3
Congratulations Rafa.
I see Novak beat Millman and is into the semis. Humpfff. Dont think Kei will beat him but you never know. Good luck to Rafa against Delpo on Friday. Another tough match
Susie, there have been so many shock results in this tournament, so yes you never know. Novak didn’t play thar well against Millman. Kei is another level up and he’s shown in the 2014 US Open that he has the game to beat Novak. Let’s hope that happens tomorrow 🙏🏼
Lets hope so Lorna
What a match, great players. Vamos Rafa!😉😉
One of the reasons i am happy that cilic lost is because he is a big server and we all know how much he hates playing against big servers
Based on the two previous matches i thought that he was going to lose but i underestimated the determination of nadal to get though. I am also happy that cilic lost to nishikori. If milman get pull off an upset again that will be great. Remember that novak is struggling with the heat and the humidity so a win against millman is not guaranteed. Should and only should rafa wins the us open he should withdraw immediatly from laver cup, davis cup and beijing because this tournament is mentally exhausting for him. I will pray on friday for a nadal win and on sunday
I don’t think he’s playing Laver Cup because the Davis cup will be around that time. If Rafa is healthy, I don’t believe he would ever not play Davis Cup, proud Spaniard that he is!
Just watched a replay of the fifth set and tiebreaker. How much more comfortable it is when you know the outcome:)
Well done to Nishikori for overcoming Cilic in 5 sets today. He took a page directly out of Rafa’s book, losing the first set, winning the next two, losing the fourth and prevailing in the fifth. Better Nishikori than Cilic if Djoker makes it through, because Cilic tends to choke. Let’s throw someone else at Djoker (again, if he gets there) and see what happens:)
Great to see Naomi Osaka crushing it as well for Japan. What a breath of fresh air she is.
I hope Rafa is asleep right now. Sweet dreams champ!