Rafael Nadal crashes out of US open: End of an era?

Fabio Fognini of Italy (R) shakes hands with Rafael Nadal of Spain (L) (C)AFP

The two-time US Open winner and world number eight was knocked out of the 2015 US Open in the third round on Friday by Italy’s Fabio Fognini. It would be Nadal’s earliest US Open exit in 10 years. The 14-time grand slam winner was beaten  3-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
The result confirmed the decline of Nadal as he also lost in quarter-finals at his favourite French Open and also in Australian Open. He suffered a humiliating second round loss in Wimbledon losing 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to German Dustin Brown (You can read the story here), and now he has been ousted at third round here in Flushing Meadows.
Defiant Nadal has vowed to fight on and restore his status as he will also finish the season without a grand slam title for the first time since 2004.