Rafael Nadal drops first set but rallies to defeat Rinky Hijikata at US Open
Nadal has lost just three finals in 27 attempts on Grand Slam courts. Rinky Hijikata, however, had won six in her career.
After dominating the match for the first six sets, Nadal fell in the seventh and was eventually forced to retire as the match reached the wire.
“Losing this match in my sport is very difficult but it is not the same,” said Nadal, who was also knocked out by a player from the United States in the 2014 U.S. Open final. “It was a very good match from Rinky. I lost the first set but I was struggling to find an angle and she was playing an amazing game. She is doing a great job on the court.”
Nadal’s only other loss on the grass surface came when he was edged in the first round by Britain’s Jerzy Janowicz in the 2004 U.S. Open. “I’m really happy to be on top of the ranking, and I just want to keep winning Grand Slams, to help the future of my country and my family,” Nadal said.
In the morning match at the US Open, Rinko-san was beaten by Russian Vera Zvonareva.
In the morning session, Rinko-san won the first set 7-5. She came back in the second set and won the third 3-6.
In the fourth set, Rinko-san lost the second and third games, while reaching the fourth by winning four of the last five points.
In the second match, Zvonareva took the first set 6-3, but lost the next three games in the second, including a last-ball winner on the 18th. She saved three match points, but made double-fault on the last one. In the third set, she won the first and second games, but then lost the third 6-4.
Zvonareva then led 4-2 in the third set, but was broken on her return to go down 9-6. In the fourth set, she won the first
