Rafael Nadal breezes past Chung to reach U.S. Open fourth round

Rafael Nadal, of Spain, pictured above. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP)

Rafael Nadal had no trouble downing qualifier Hyeon Chung 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the U.S. Open round of 16, the 13th straight time he’s gone at least that far in a Grand Slam event.

The No. 2-seeded Nadal has had a relatively easy journey at Flushing Meadows so far, receiving a walkover in the second round from Thanasi Kokkinakis due to an injury and not dropping a set in his other two matches. Against the 170th-ranked Chung, a 2018 Australian Open semifinalist who has battled injuries, Nadal played an aggressive game off the ground and on the serve, winning nearly 90 per cent of his first-serve points.

Next up for the three-time U.S. Open champion is a matchup against the winner of the match underway between No. 14 John Isner and No. 22 Marin Cilic, himself a former Flushing Meadows champ.

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