Late-night Paul battles through at US Open in 1:46 am finish / Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU - AFP
NYSE - LSE
| CMSC | 0.43% | 23.12 | $ | |
| SCS | 0.12% | 16.14 | $ | |
| CMSD | 0.02% | 23.144 | $ | |
| NGG | 0.05% | 77.53 | $ | |
| GSK | -0.02% | 48.95 | $ | |
| RIO | 1.56% | 82.171 | $ | |
| BCC | -0.32% | 74.471 | $ | |
| BTI | -0.16% | 57.15 | $ | |
| AZN | 0.22% | 92.65 | $ | |
| RBGPF | 0% | 81.26 | $ | |
| BCE | 0.11% | 23.035 | $ | |
| JRI | 0.12% | 13.486 | $ | |
| RYCEF | -0.65% | 15.43 | $ | |
| BP | -0.34% | 34.195 | $ | |
| RELX | -0.12% | 41.04 | $ | |
| VOD | -0.23% | 13.07 | $ |
Late-night Paul battles through at US Open in 1:46 am finish
Tommy Paul survived a brutal five-set epic that finished at 1:46 am to fight his way past Nuno Borges and into the third round of the US Open early Friday.
The 14th-seeded American finally made it count after 4hr 25mins to pull through 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5 in New York.
Late-night finishes in tennis have been a recurring theme, especially at the Australian Open and the US Open, where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner completed their 2022 quarter-final at 2:50 am.
Paul could have had a comparatively early night with two match points in the third set, but he failed to take them and a newly energised Borges threatened to make him pay.
"It was pretty tough today, especially when you are up two sets to love," Paul said. "You never want to lose a match like that."
With the time in the "city that never sleeps" ticking past 1:00 am and the Arthur Ashe Stadium mostly empty, the gruelling encounter went to a deciding fifth set.
There was again nothing between them, with Portugal's Borges -- who is ranked 41 in the world -- refusing to go away as he fought back from 3-0 down in the fifth.
Paul finally sealed the deal at 1:46 am with a thrilling rally on his third match point, the exhausted pair exchanging a warm embrace at the net after an attritional battle.
"A little bit tired now, I'm sure we all are," Paul told the spectators that remained until the end.
"First I want to say thank you to you guys for staying so late and supporting me."
The 28-year-old added: "Definitely cool to get a win."
He will play the 23rd-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan next.
A.C.Netterville--NG
