Lucas Pouille has reached the US Open quarter-finals with a thrilling five-set victory over Rafael Nadal.
In arguably the match of the tournament so far, Pouille squandered three match points before finally sealing a 6-1 2-6 6-4 3-6 7-6 win over the two-time champion.
Nadal had reached the fourth round with minimal fuss and he was favourite to prevail against 24th seed Pouille, who had already gone the distance on two occasions during the opening week at Flushing Meadows.
However, it was Pouille who started the stronger of the two as he broke Nadal's serve twice on the way to wrapping up the opener in just 28 minutes.
Nadal responded with an equally dominant showing in the second but when Pouille started to enjoy more joy on the Spaniard's serve in the third, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the former world number one.
Back came Nadal, though, and after taking the fourth, he broke early in the decider to move with two games of a place in the quarter-finals, where Gael Monfils awaits the winner.
At 4-3 up, however, Nadal left the door open for his opponent and after levelling the set, it was Pouille who ended on the front foot with Nadal content to take the match into a final-set tie-break.
A forehand error from Pouille gifted Nadal the first point, but four points in a row saw the Frenchman take control and he brought up three match points as he closed in on the finishing line.
Winning the final point proved easier said than done as nerves began to set in, and the third of Pouille's match points was wasted with a long forehand which came after a first serve had almost hit the baseline.
Nadal had all of the momentum but at 6-6, he dumped a routine forehand into the net to give Pouille a fourth opening and this time, he would take his chance with a crushing forehand winner into the corner to secure the biggest win of his career in front of a captivated crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Darren Plant
