Rafael Nadal's 5 most memorable match wins at the US Open

#3 2018 Quarterfinals: Beat Dominic Thiem 0-6 6-4 7-5 6-7(4) 7-6(5)

2018 US Open Quarterfinals

In one of the best hardcourt matches of his career, Dominic Thiem burst out the blocks by bagelling Rafael Nadal to take the opening set in 24 minutes. It was Nadal's first 0-6 set at the US Open in 14 years since a second-round defeat to Andy Roddick in 2004.

Thiem displayed tactical naivety by refusing to abandon his high-risk high-reward style of play though. A strategy that paid rich dividends for the Austrian in the first set began to unravel in the second set. As Thiem's intensity dropped and unforced errors crept in, Nadal responded with two breaks of the Austrian's serve to square the match at a set apiece.

Nadal took the third set 7-5 and was keen to end a physical match in four sets, following gruelling wins over Karen Khachanov and Nikoloz Basilashvili in the two previous rounds. But Thiem survived two 15-40 situations on serve and the set proceeded to a tiebreak where the Austrian dominated to force a decider.

The Austrian staved off three successive break points at 5-5 in the fifth as a deciding set tiebreaker ensued. Both players remained solid on serve and at 5-5 in the tiebreak, both players were within two points of a victory and a place in the semifinals.

Nadal then arrived at match point, but Thiem sensed the opportunity to force the issue and get back on level terms by venturing forward. However, Nadal was up to the task as the Spaniard produced a fine defensive lob which Thiem missed.

The Spaniard lived to fight another day on a night when his opponent won six more points than him.

Thiem would aptly surmise after the match, "If we skip the first set it was an open match from beginning to the end".