Tommy Paul played a fantastic match to defeat Rafael Nadal just minutes shy of midnight in Paris 3-6 7-6(4) 6-1.
The American opened well but allowed Nadal to come back and win the second set. He gave Nadal a taste of his own medicine when he came back from a break down to win the second set in the tiebreak. The final set featured a very tired Nadal unable to hold the line against the attacks of Paul.
Words after the match showcased how excited Paul was:
"It's probably my best win. I was obviously pumped for the matchup because it's always interesting when you play one of the Big Three. I've only played him the second time, but the first time I was so nervous. It was weird, this time I wasn't really nervous."
He continued:
"I was pretty relaxed going onto the court and the day before. I think that played a role. I came out playing pretty well. He got the first set, but I feel like I played pretty well from the jump."
Paul finished off by admitting it was fun after having some slow weeks in terms of wins:
"I thought when I was making my first serve, I was playing well. I had a lot of fun out there. It was probably the best I've played in the past three months. I know it's been a slow Europe swing for me, so I'm pumped to get that W."