NEW YORK — Rafa Nadal ended a sub-par grand slam season on a heartbreaking note when he fell 3-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 at the U.S. Open to an inspired Fabio Fognini after winning the first two sets at Flushing Meadows on Friday.
Clay court specialist Fognini, who was 0-7 on hard courts coming into the U.S. Open, played magnificently from the third set on, picking Nadal apart with groundstroke angles and deft play at the net, where the Italian won 39 of 54 advances.
The final set produced spectacular rallies and winners that had the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on their feet well after 1:00 AM as the combatants traded seven service breaks in a row from the third game of the fifth set before Fognini held to end the three hour 46-minute tilt.