• US Open, Day Seven

Plays of the Day: Nal that's a point

Rafael Nadal pulled out all the tricks but the point of his third-round match against David Nalbandian went to the Argentine © PA Photos

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Nal that's a point
Trailing 4-5 in the first-set tiebreak, David Nalbandian knew the importance of claiming the opening set and served up an enthralling point to draw level. The rally had everything and more, it was a truly epic US Open point and a moment the Arthur Ashe crowd were all too happy to lap up. After some big blows from the baseline, Nalbandian switched things up with a well-disguised drop shot. Tearing forward, Nadal scooped up a return only to see his opponent lift the ball back over his head. Undeterred, Nadal put the turbo boosters on and chased down the lob, hitting his defensive effort high into the clouds. Nalbandian set himself and unloaded a fierce smash but the ever present Spaniard somehow got a racket on it. Fortunately the ball sailed wide, bringing Nalbandian back into the tiebreak and the appreciative crowd to its feet.

Last man standing
Andy Roddick appeared to be cruising in his third-round match with Julien Benneteau, leading two sets to love and seemingly on course for another last-16 berth. However, his French opponent battled on and had the third set in his sights when leading 6-5 and winning the first point on Roddick's serve. Roddick desperately needed to win the next point, and he did not falter. The pair dished up a classic, trading from the back to both flanks and cracking the ball at a lightning pace. As the rally went on, and on, the crowd watched with baited breath, with Benneteau eventually flailing a backhand drive wide of the tramlines after a 43-shot trade off.

In need of a breather
Trailing two sets to one, and with the score finely poised at 3-3 in the third, Juan Martin del Potro's chances of forcing a decider hung in the balance. Down 15-30, those chances were beginning to fade. Gilles Simon then moved the big man to all corners of the court, making his Argentine opponent run around chasing shadows for what seemed an eternity. Del Potro finally ran out of steam and, having failed to get a racket to Simon's driven groundstroke, the 6ft 6in giant had to take a breather on a chair at the back of the court, much to the amusement of the on-looking crowd.

Point to prove
Maria Kirilenko may have lost her Sunday evening match to Sam Stosur, but the Russian certainly won the battle in terms of her use of technology. On the ropes, and facing multiple match points during the second set tiebreak, Kirilenko had three challenges of decisions go her was as she clung on for dear life. The Russian correctly challenged two calls of her own, whilst Stosur incorrectly challenged a shot she thought had gone wide. Kirilenko claimed an epic 17-15 win in the tiebreaker, but couldn't hold in in the third set as she bowed out of the tournament.

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