With Roger Federer and 2018 champion Novak Djokovic having already made exits, Nadal's path to a fourth US Open trophy has been cleared of familiar hurdles.
Fourth seed Rafael Nadal showed he is healthy and ready to challenge for a third US Open title as he rolled into the last 16 at Flushing Meadows on Friday with a fist-pumping 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russian Andrey Kuznetsov.
'I really like the way he plays, mixes in the slice, the dropshot, volleys really well. There's so many things I like from his game. Hopefully I can keep working on those and become just like him'
The honorees smiled, held hands and exchanged hugs as they filled the stage at the glitzy event attended by top athletes and celebrities in downtown Los Angeles.
IMAGES from Day 8 of the French Open at Roland Garros on Sunday.
After a mature performance against ninth seed David Goffin, the 19-year-old set up an intriguing last-eight showdown with world number one Rafael Nadal.
Serena Williams is on the brink of the grandest achievement in tennis, the single season Grand Slam, and even the leading men at the US Open championships starting on Monday are cheering her on.
Karolina Pliskova showed the steel of a world number one as she fought off a match point to claim a riveting 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 comeback win over Zhang Shuai in the US Open third round.
Federer looked more relieved than overjoyed when Tiafoe's forehand found the net on match point to keep his hopes of a 20th grand slam title alive.
The Swiss snapped a five-year barren run at the slams by bagging the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this year and, in the absence of Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, is the favourite at Flushing Meadows with an equally resurgent Rafael Nadal.
Images from Day 9 of the 2020 US Open in New York, on Tuesday.
Rafael 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 US Open to an inspired Fabio Fognini after winning the first two sets at Flushing Meadows in New York, on Friday.
Asked if she could have all her titles and Venus all hers without having ever had to play each other, Serena said she would happily accept that deal.
Defending champion Naomi Osaka of Japan was upset 7-5, 6-4 by Belinda Bencic in the fourth round at the US Open on Monday as the Swiss reached the quarter-finals for the second time.
Sloane Stephens's US Open win could be the first of many Grand Slam titles for the young American, but there is a question mark on her ambitions, according to former world number one Mats Wilander.
The 19-year-old's triumph, which came in her US Open main draw debut and against the undisputed queen of the sport, was the latest step in a meteoric rise for Andreescu and it dominated front pages across the country.
The German sixth seed, who has not won a title since winning at Flushing Meadows last year, never got into the match against the 2016 WTA newcomer of the year.
The 19-year-old Canadian, who a year ago had failed to qualify for the tournament but has gone on to become the sport's brightest young star.
The final will pit power against power when Andreescu takes on her childhood hero Williams, who claimed her first US Open title in 1999 before Andreescu was even born.
After a flawless first set from Mertens the tide turned in Andreescu's direction in the second when she fired a cross-court forehand winner to break the Belgian at love and take a 4-2 lead.
World number two Roger Federer launches his bid for a sixth US Open title, and his first since 2008, with a first-round match against Argentina's Leonardo Mayer at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Ukrainian reached her second straight Grand Slam semi-final after also making the last four at Wimbledon in July.
Both players burn with heaps of motivation to hoist the winner's trophy at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the last grand moment of the 2015 slam season.
Inspired Vinci rallies to beat World No 1 and then tells US crowd: 'But today is my day. Sorry guys'
Roger Federer glided to victory on another hot, steamy day at the US Open, the envy of a clutch of men's players made to work overtime on Tuesday at the season's final Grand Slam.
Photos from the US Open matches played on Monday
Daniil Medvedev continued his march towards a first Grand Slam title on Wednesday, powering into the US Open semi-finals with a clinical 7-6(6), 6-3, 7-6(5) victory over childhood friend Andrey Rublev.
World number one Novak Djokovic was sensationally disqualified in the US Open fourth round on Sunday after striking a line judge with a ball following a point during the first set of his match against Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta.
Martina Navratilova recently proposed to her longtime girlfriend Julia Lemigova at U.S. Open tennis championship.
Rafael Nadal captured his 16th career Grand Slam title and third at the US Open
US Open champion Sloane Stephens said she has no pity for Madison Keys after thrashing her 6-3, 6-0 in Saturday's final, given the huge runnersup check her friend will receive.
Keys is expected to be the aggressor on Arthur Ashe Stadium against a more defensive Stephens, one of the best retrievers on the tour.
The success of the American women at this year's US Open is nothing else than a reward from the Williams sisters' inspiration
'It was exciting and this is why I came to New York, to go through these emotions'
A golden moment for Australian Ashleigh Barty and American CoCo Vandeweghe was tinged with disappointment when tournament officials did not let them speak to the crowd after winning the U.S. Open women's doubles final on Sunday.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal failed to win a single game in the opening set of his US Open quarter-final against Dominic Thiem on Tuesday but fought back to beat the Austrian 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5) in match that ended past 2 am in New York.
More shocking than his departure was the manner of the 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7), 7-6,(3) loss to the Australian, with Federer simply wilting in the suffocating humidity and exiting a Grand Slam before the quarter-finals for just the fifth time since 2004.
Images from Day 5 of the 2021 US Open in New York on Friday.
Images from Day 1 of the US Open in New York, on Monday.
Twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka overcame an inspired challenge from qualifier Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to advance to the quarter-finals of the US Open.
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