Related News
Djokovic beats Nadal to win 3rd seasonal Grand Slam
Source: Xinhua |
September 13, 2011, Tuesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
TOP seed Novak Djokovic captured his third major title the year at the US Open yesterday by dismissing second seed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1 at Flushing Meadows.
A year after Nadal won three major titles, and four years after Roger Federer last did the same, Djokovic has now joined the club of six as the finest men's single season in Open Era history.
He won the Australian Open over Andy Murray in the final and beat Nadal in the Wimbledon final.
Djokovic beat Nadal in 4 hours 10 minutes. The win made Djokovic 64-2 this year, gave him his first US Open title and also placed him among the all-time greats. The Serb maintained an all-win record against Nadal this year, all six encounter from the tournament finals.
Overall, this was Djokovic's fourth major title. His first was at the Australian Open in 2008.
Djokovic converted 11 of 26 break points he imposed while Nadal made only six of 14 of that.
Djokovic hit seven aces, five more than his Spaniard opponent. The Serb did commit more unforced errors, 14 more than Nadal, but he well covered the deficit with 55 winners to Nadal's 32.
Nadal, the defending champion, said, "Obviously I am disappointed now. This guy is doing unbelievable things." Then he looked toward Djokovic and said, "What you did this year is probably impossible to repeat, so well done."
The two carved up the year's four major tournaments with the Spaniard grabbing the remaining French Open at Roland Garros, where Djokovic was inflicted his first loss of the season to Federer in the semifinal.
Nadal broke through first at the second game of first set to have a 2-0 lead, but the Serb dominated the remaining, clinching six games in a row to wrap up the opener.
The third game of the second set encompassed enough ovation-causing tennis for an entire match. It lasted 17 minutes 15 seconds, and while trying to defend a sixth break point after eight deuces, Nadal, who appeared positioned for a winning overhead, slammed the ball into the net.
If Nadal had held serve, he would have grabbed a 3-0 lead. Instead it was Djokovic who pumped his fist, came out after the changeover and held serve at love. Nadal managed to level the set to 4:4 just to see he was broken again in the ninth game following a double break points.
In the third set, the two exchanged breaks for three times and needed a tiebreaker, in which Nadal powered down to take a 5-1 advantage and won on his second set point with a forehand return winner.
During the changeover, Djokovic called for the trainer, who worked on the Serb's back.
After Djokovic held serve to open the fourth set, he called for the trainer again and used an injury timeout, during which the trainer worked on his back, massaging and pummeling Djokovic's body.
And then Djokovic won another two games to take a 3-0 lead to send the match running away from Nadal.
After losing to Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, Nadal was admirably candid, admitting that he would have to "find solutions" if he had hoped to beat his new nemesis, something he hadn't done since the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
It's the first time for the same competitors reaching the US Open final for consecutive years since 1987-1988 when Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander doubled up.
The top two showed down against each other for six times this year, including the US Open final, all in finals and all turned out the same victor.
"I want to enjoy about this battle against him. Six straight losses, for sure that's painful," said Nadal.
"I'm going to work every day until that changes. So I have a goal, easy goal for me now.
"He's doing few things better, but he was fantastic player before," added the 25-year-old Spaniard.
"If I have to say two things about I'm not happy tonight, it's my serve for sure the first one. Because if my serve works really well, I know I have the challenge, the mental challenge for sure."
A year after Nadal won three major titles, and four years after Roger Federer last did the same, Djokovic has now joined the club of six as the finest men's single season in Open Era history.
He won the Australian Open over Andy Murray in the final and beat Nadal in the Wimbledon final.
Djokovic beat Nadal in 4 hours 10 minutes. The win made Djokovic 64-2 this year, gave him his first US Open title and also placed him among the all-time greats. The Serb maintained an all-win record against Nadal this year, all six encounter from the tournament finals.
Overall, this was Djokovic's fourth major title. His first was at the Australian Open in 2008.
Djokovic converted 11 of 26 break points he imposed while Nadal made only six of 14 of that.
Djokovic hit seven aces, five more than his Spaniard opponent. The Serb did commit more unforced errors, 14 more than Nadal, but he well covered the deficit with 55 winners to Nadal's 32.
Nadal, the defending champion, said, "Obviously I am disappointed now. This guy is doing unbelievable things." Then he looked toward Djokovic and said, "What you did this year is probably impossible to repeat, so well done."
The two carved up the year's four major tournaments with the Spaniard grabbing the remaining French Open at Roland Garros, where Djokovic was inflicted his first loss of the season to Federer in the semifinal.
Nadal broke through first at the second game of first set to have a 2-0 lead, but the Serb dominated the remaining, clinching six games in a row to wrap up the opener.
The third game of the second set encompassed enough ovation-causing tennis for an entire match. It lasted 17 minutes 15 seconds, and while trying to defend a sixth break point after eight deuces, Nadal, who appeared positioned for a winning overhead, slammed the ball into the net.
If Nadal had held serve, he would have grabbed a 3-0 lead. Instead it was Djokovic who pumped his fist, came out after the changeover and held serve at love. Nadal managed to level the set to 4:4 just to see he was broken again in the ninth game following a double break points.
In the third set, the two exchanged breaks for three times and needed a tiebreaker, in which Nadal powered down to take a 5-1 advantage and won on his second set point with a forehand return winner.
During the changeover, Djokovic called for the trainer, who worked on the Serb's back.
After Djokovic held serve to open the fourth set, he called for the trainer again and used an injury timeout, during which the trainer worked on his back, massaging and pummeling Djokovic's body.
And then Djokovic won another two games to take a 3-0 lead to send the match running away from Nadal.
After losing to Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, Nadal was admirably candid, admitting that he would have to "find solutions" if he had hoped to beat his new nemesis, something he hadn't done since the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
It's the first time for the same competitors reaching the US Open final for consecutive years since 1987-1988 when Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander doubled up.
The top two showed down against each other for six times this year, including the US Open final, all in finals and all turned out the same victor.
"I want to enjoy about this battle against him. Six straight losses, for sure that's painful," said Nadal.
"I'm going to work every day until that changes. So I have a goal, easy goal for me now.
"He's doing few things better, but he was fantastic player before," added the 25-year-old Spaniard.
"If I have to say two things about I'm not happy tonight, it's my serve for sure the first one. Because if my serve works really well, I know I have the challenge, the mental challenge for sure."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
