France’s Lucas Pouille claimed the biggest win of his career as he beat two-time champion Rafael Nadal in a sensational US Open last-16 match. The 22-year-old Pouille took charge early and led two sets to one, then rebounded after sagging in the fourth set to win 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(6) in a four-hour struggle against the fourth seed.

“It’s my first match on the center court, against Rafa,” Pouille said in an on-court interview after dropping flat on his back in celebration after his forehand winner ended the marathon on his fourth match point.

“I couldn’t dream better than this.”

Nadal, who has made an extraordinary comeback from a wrist injury that forced him to retire before his third-round match at Roland Garros and withdraw from Wimbledon, fought them all off to make it 6-6.
“I learned that it’s never over until the last point,” said Lucas Pouille. “I was a break down in the fifth, I came back and led 6-3 in the tiebreak and he came back. Yeah, it’s never done until the last point is over.”

Said Nadal: “I fight until the end, until the last ball. Was a very close match. I congratulate my opponent, he played with better decisions than me the last couple of points.