NEW YORK _ Give Rafael Nadal the slightest opening and he will find a way to win. Give him no opening and he will still find a way to win.
Nadal, the No. 2 seed at the U.S. Open, lost the opening set of his fourth-round match against Marin Cilic but decisively reversed course to move within two points of closing it out. Cilic came to the net and hit a volley that seemed beyond Nadal's reach, but the 33-year-old Spaniard thought otherwise. Sprinting to his left, he got to the ball and flicked it around the net post for a winner, triggering roars from a crowd that included an elated Tiger Woods. A point later, Nadal sealed a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory and a place in the 40th career Grand Slam event quarterfinal of his career.
"I saw it. I ran fast to that ball," he said. "I see at the last moment that there might have been the smallest space from that side. I think it was the only way to win that point."
Nadal had more aces than big-hitting Cilic, 11-10, and hit 38 winners while Cilic committed 40 unforced errors. "I really enjoyed playing in front of the full crowd," he said. "Arthur Ashe Stadium here in New York, night session. It's difficult to be better."
