US Open: 'I'm Alive After A Match Like This, Means A Lot,' Says Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal overcame Italy's Fabio Fognini after a "painful" fight that left him with a bloodied nose Thursday at the U.S. Open.

Nadal made as many as 37 unforced errors against Fognini and called it "one of the worst stats."

"One of the worst starts, probably ever. But that's part of the game. You need to stay humble, you need to accept the situation. It hasn't been an easy month for me, so I know this kind of stuff can happen. It's another opportunity for me. I'm still alive after a match like this. That means a lot," Nadal said after the game, according to U.S. Open's official website.

Nadal, who entered the tournament second seeded, had a freak accident late in his four-set victory over Fognini at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Chasing a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam, Nadal lost the first set against the Italian player but made a comfortable comeback.

When he was cruising toward an easy win, he stretched for a wide backhand that saw his racquet rebound off the court and land on the bridge of his nose. It immediately began to bleed. Nadal quickly walked back to his chair and laid down.

When the Spaniard was asked how the incident impacted him, he replied, "A little bit dizzy at the beginning, a little bit painful."

Nadal added that it had happened once before "with a golf club, not with a tennis racket."

Playing in the U.S. Open for the first time since winning the title in 2019, Nadal has now reached the third round of the final Grand Slam of the year.

Nadal is next scheduled to play against former World No. 7 Richard Gasquet on Saturday.

Nadal's latest win also made him the first player to qualify for this year's Nitto ATP Finals, which will be played from Nov. 13-20 in Turin. The 36-year-old, who is yet to win the season finale tournament, has now secured his spot in the event 17 times, the second-most in the event's history, according to ATP.