US Open 2022: Nadal slammed for taking 9-minute break mid-game vs Tiafoe

Rafael Nadal on Monday was criticised on social media for taking an nine-minute break during his round of 16 game vs Frances Tiafoe at the US Open. The 22-time Grand Slam champion was accused of breaking his opponent’s momentum. 

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Nadal lost the first set 4-6. The Spaniard was called a ‘cheater’ on social media. 

“Tiafoe seemed to almost have a mini-collapse when he was serving for the set. Nearly faulted his way out of it. Did Nadal see it, notice, & think he could get in Frances’ head by taking a 9-min break? Fair competitive head games or poor sportsmanship beneath a champion like Rafa?” a Twitter user said. 

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“#USOpen2022 you have to wonder if Nadal would need all of that if he’d won the 1st set. Not enough that he uses the full clock b4 serve (fine his prerogative) but right after losing a set u take this break – intentional momentum killer 😒” another one tweeted. 

This is not the first time Rafa has been accused of cheating in this year’s US Open. The 36-year-old was accused by a journalist of manipulating the match rules during his tournament opener against Australian Rinky Hijikata. 

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 The journalist claimed that Nadal was taking to long to take his serve and the judges were equally culpable for not taking any action against him. The ATP No 3 squashed the accusations saying: “I don’t waste time and I don’t think i’m treated differently”.

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In the first set of the round of 16 game, both players – Rafael Nadal and Frances Tiafoe – held on to their first three service games. However, the American broke his opponent in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. He then clinched the set 6-4. 

This is the third time in four matches at the US Open 2022 that Rafa has lost his first set.