Rafael Nadal was the first player to practice under the U.S. Open’s new roof and, along with Italy's Andreas Seppi, he became the first player to play an official match under it.
Now he's the first to win under it.
Murray Muses on Roof: "It's quite different playing out there now."
Nadal and Andreas Seppi played under the new standing structure after a seven minute and 22-second delay during the second set of Nadal’s 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 victory over the Italian. It took 5:35 to close.
“Is great to be the first player to play with the roof closed, on the competition, because I was the first player to hit in the center court with the roof closed,” Nadal said after the match. “Just happy.”
Nadal won the first seven games but did encounter interference from more than just rain on this muggy Wednesday evening in New York. In the second set Nadal broke to lead 5-3 but was immediately broken back by Seppi. The 32-year-old Italian held for 5-all but Nadal won the final two games, and eight of the final nine to improve to 8-1 against Seppi.
“Every round is important,” Nadal said. “Every point is important. Today was a good win. I think first set was unfair because 6-0 was not the right result. Had been lot of chances for both of us in lots of games, so should be much closer.”
Nadal moves on to face Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov on Friday. Kuznetsov upset No.31 seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets today.
Nadal gave the roof rave reviews and said he felt that the structure was so high that it felt far-off in the distance. It loomed large enough for him to love it. “Is great,” he said. “Is an unbelievable, unbelievable court. So nice.”
Technically the roof is not a roof at all. According to the New York Times the roof is a standing pavilion rising 125 feet above the sidewalk on eight steel supercolumns.
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According to the Times, the standing pavilion’s canopy is coated in polytetrafluoroethylene.
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Nadal also chatted about what Milos Raonic’s loss might mean for him in the draw. “My draw is Kuznetsov. That's the real thing,” Nadal said. “Sorry for Milos. Happens.”
No. 5 Raonic fell to Ryan Harrison in one of the bigger upsets of Day 3. On the women’s side, No. 3 seed Garbine Muguruza was knocked off by Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia.