Rafael Nadal suffered a brutal loss in the third round of the U.S. Open

No. 8 Rafael Nadal bowed out of the U.S Open early after falling in a grueling five-set match Friday night. The Spanish star led No. 32 Fabio Fognini of Italy after two sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but after nearly four hours, he was ousted 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

The third-round loss breaks Nadal's 10-year streak of winning at least one Grand Slam title. "The only thing it means is I played amazing the last 10 years," he said.

Fognini called his hard-earned upset a "mental victory."

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"That was one of greatest, most spectacular comebacks you're ever going to see on a tennis court," tennis legend John McEnroe said. "The level that he played to mount that miraculous comeback will be remembered for a long time."