For Nadal, this was his third straight upset after his La Decima at Roland Garros, barring him each time to even head into the semis. He had lost to Giles Muller in a pulsating five-setter in the round of 16 of Wimbledon 2017, then came a shock in Montreal quarters when 18-year-old Dennis Shapovalov scripted his first upset in the highway to US Open.
