Frances Tiafoe has managed to secure the biggest win of his career.

The 24-year-old American has knocked 22-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal out of the US Open by winning the round-of-16 clash 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Tiafoe has reached the quarter-finals of the US Open for the first time in his career.

Earlier in the tournament, Rafa overcame a horrid start and a bloody nose to beat Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 and reach the third round on Thursday.

Fognini came out flying to build a set and a 4-2 lead as Nadal struggled to find his rhythm. Momentum shifted in Nadal’s favour in the third set when he raced down an overhead and crushed a forehand down the line to break Fognini and take a 4-2 lead.

He broke the fading Fognini again to capture the third set and appeared to be cruising to the finish line when, while leading 3-0 in the fourth set, his racket bounced off the court and struck him sharply on the bridge of his nose.

That led to a medical timeout where the 22-time grand slam champion lay on his back with his eyes closed as a pink bandage was applied to stop the bleeding. Nadal regrouped and with the backing of the partisan crowd sealed the win on Fognini’s 60th unforced error. After the match, Nadal said the blow from the racket left him dizzy and in pain. “At the beginning, I thought I broke the nose because it was a shock at the beginning. Was very painful.”