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Sublime Nadal wins in NY for 13th slam
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Engulfed in a mixture of relief and joy, Rafael Nadal fell on his back and covered his face with his hands after beating Novak Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to win the US Open on Monday in New York.
It was Nadal’s 13th career grand slam title and second US Open trophy.
A year ago, Nadal was at home watching on television as Andy Murray defeated Djokovic, dealing with knee injuries that had raised questions over his longevity in the sport.
But after returning from a seven-month absence, Nadal’s remarkable year has included two grand slam wins as he marches his way towards the number one ranking again.
“For a few things this season is probably the most emotional one in my career,” Nadal said.
“I felt that I did everything right to have my chance here.
“You play a match against one of the best players of the history like this, Novak, number one in the world, probably on his favorite surface, as I said the other day, I would have to be almost perfect to win.
“It means a lot for me have this trophy. It is just amazing,” he said.
Nadal acknowledged the emotions he showed on court did indeed relate to his injuries and the difficult days in the gym, when he had to endure the daily grind of rehab work, sometimes with no signs of immediate progress.
So when he thanked his staff and those close to him, it was not the usual courtesy but an acknowledgement the painful road back would have been much tougher without the support of his team and family.
The No. 2 ranked Nadal emerged victorious by withstanding Djokovic’s similar brand of hustle-to-every-ball style.
He and Djokovic started in sunlight and finished at night, a 3-hour, 21-minute miniseries of cliffhangers and plot twists with a pair of protagonists who inspired standing ovations in the middle of games.
There was no quit in either of them. Some rallies went so long that spectators often shouted out during the course of play.
“It’s what we do when we play against each other, always pushing each other to the limit,” Djokovic said. “That’s the beauty of our matches and our rivalry, I guess, in the end.”
This was their 37th match against each other, the most between any two men in the Open era, and Nadal has won 22. It also was their third US Open final in the last four years. Nadal beat Djokovic for the 2010 title, and Djokovic won their rematch in 2011.
They know each other’s games so well, but in the end this time, it was Nadal who was superior.
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