Expelled From The US Open 2022, Rafael Nadal Derita's First Defeat At This Year's Grand Slam

Rafael Nadal (Instagram @rafaelnadal)

JAKARTA Rafael Nadal was eliminated from the fourth round of the US Open 2022. He was beaten by the host Frances Tiafoe.

Nadal's move was stopped after losing 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday morning WIB. This is Nadal's first defeat this year at the Grand Slam event.

The defeat ended the Spaniard's attempt to win the 23rd Grand Slam in his career while widening the distance with Novak Djokovic who collected 21 Grand Slams.

Nadal said that it was not the year when he could return to play after this defeat. He admitted that he wanted to take a break after this.

"I have to go back. I need to improve a lot, live, then I don't know when I'll be back," he said.

It was great to have @RafaelNadal back in New York this year.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/MNhZHRPp6J

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2022

"I will try to be mentally ready. When I feel that I will be ready to compete again, I will be there," he added.

Nadal is scheduled to play in the Laver Cup with Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, in London on September 23-25.

This year's US Open is the second tournament Nadal has played since withdrawing from the semifinals of Wimbledon due to a stomach injury.

Nadal actually went to New York under unsuitable conditions after losing to Borna Coric in the first round of Cincinnati last month. He was never fully comfortable in his two opening wins.

"The difference is easy: I played a bad game and he played a good game," said Nadal.

"I'm not fast enough to move. Tennis is a positional sport. You have to be very, very fast and young. I'm not at that moment anymore," he added.

This Nadal defeat made Marin Cilic, who won the 2014 US Open, the only Grand Slam champion left in the men's draw.

Meanwhile, this victory led Tiafoe to face Russia's ninth seed Andrey Rublev for a place in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.