New York, Aug 29 (AP) Tommy Paul and Nuno Borges delivered a thrilling battle that stretched well past midnight, marking another unforgettable marathon match at the U.S. Open.
Paul emerged victorious in what became the 17th-latest finish in tournament history, earning a place in the records as the second-latest finish of the second round.
“Definitely was happy that it was with the win and not a loss,” Paul said, while being stretched out afterward. “It was a blast. It was an emotional roller coaster, for sure.”
Paul took the first two sets and had multiple match points to conclude the contest in straight sets. However, Borges mounted a comeback, winning the third and fourth sets. They found themselves tied in the fifth despite Paul initially going up 3-0.
The 14th-seeded American finally broke Borges in a thrilling final point exchange to claim a 7-6 (6), 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5 victory.
“I was all twisted around when I hit the last shot,” said Paul. “I didn't even know if he made it or not. I threw my hands up like I won the point, but I wasn't actually sure.”
The match, which began as the Thursday night feature at Arthur Ashe Stadium, lasted an exhausting 4 hours, 25 minutes, concluding at 1:46 a.m.
Paul expressed gratitude to the remaining fans for their support and suggested they be allowed to move closer to the action.
“I think that they should open it up so the people at the top can come down,” Paul remarked. “I don't know why they don't do that. But yeah, it's a late one. Definitely my latest match at the Open.”
Looking ahead, Paul will face 23rd-seeded Alexander Bublik in the third round.
“It's fun,” Paul stated. “We'll be ready for the next one. Totally. It's what we train for.”
The match between Paul and Borges, a 28-year-old from Portugal, marked the second late-night epic of the tournament. Daniil Medvedev had an infamous meltdown during his opening day match, resulting in a five-set defeat to Benjamin Bonzi that ended early Monday. (AP) DDV
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