Known for his torquing topspin and forceful forehand, Rafael Nadal showed off a different, metaphoric skill late Tuesday night at the United States Open: digestion.

After being force-fed a “bagel” set of 6-0 by ninth-seeded Dominic Thiem to open their quarterfinal match, Nadal seemed to gain a boost from the rough start, as if he had been intentionally carbo-loading his side of the scoreboard.

He would need the energy to endure the thick humidity in Arthur Ashe Stadium through the night, as the quick start gave way to a prolonged battle, becoming the longest match of the tournament so far. After absorbing a 24-minute bludgeoning in the first set, Nadal came back to win 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(5) in four hours and 49 minutes to reach the semifinals.

It was the longest match of the 69 that Nadal has played at the U.S. Open. Nadal had also played the second longest match of this year’s tournament: his four-set win over Karen Khachanov in the third round, which lasted four hours and 23 minutes.