NEW YORK, Sept 4 — Rafa Nadal turned the tables in a dramatic second-set tiebreaker on his way to a 6-2 7-6 7-5 victory today over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan to reach the third round of the U.S. Open.

Top-seeded Nadal trailed 5-1 in the second-set decider after a spectacular point by the 39th-ranked Istomin, who left a long skid mark and finished in a split in a dash to hit a winner off a delicate drop shot from the Spaniard.

After applauding Istomin along with the roaring Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, Nadal ran off the next six points to win the tiebreaker and then broke serve in the last game of the match to keep on track for the only grand slam title to elude him.

Up next for the French and Wimbledon champion will be Frenchman Gilles Simon, who beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany to advance. — Reuters