SIZZLING RALLIES AS NADAL WINS THE US OPEN
Spain, of course, has a king, Juan Carlos I, with a palace in Madrid. A good fellow, we’re told. But the real monarch today is young Rafa I, whose roundhouse knockout punches on a tennis court are massive left hooks that leave no doubt of his being No. 1 in his world-circling profession.
At last.
This has been Rafael Nadal’s eighth campaign assaulting the United States, none of them successful until he captured Monday’s day-night double header by matching — then overcoming the shotmaking magic of Novak Djokovic, the man who removed the former ruler, Roger Federer, from the US Open.
A last errant forehand, a splendid sight to Nadal, finished off Djokovic in the fourth set, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, and drew the final vocal explosions from a gathering of about 23,771 (712,976 over the two weeks) who had been treated to memorable displays of sharpshooting throughout 3 hours 43 minutes.
In a rain-provoked disjointed final, they paused for too much moisture, and a sitdown of an hour and forty-eight minutes with Nadal leading, 6-4, 4-4, 30-all, Djokovic serving. They returned to the court for the remaining time.
Perhaps it was rain from Serbia that enabled Djokovic to play so handsomely against Nadal. That downpour washed out Sunday, giving Novak an unexpected day’s rest after his monumental five set victory over five-time champ Federer, during which he rescued two match points.
But Nadal wasn’t going to be held back by anything or anybody. He hungered for the US title he’d never come close to seizing, and to complete an extremely rare career Grand Slam – possession of each of the four majors. Joining Don Budge, Fred Perry, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Federer, Rafa becomes the seventh in the exclusive society, adding the US to five French, two Wimbledon and one Australian. And collecting a cool, $1,7 million.
Wearing black, trimmed in chartreuse, looking like the Plague in green sneakers, Nadal has shorter hair but the ability to play ever longer, double digit rallies until his foes keel over. Nevertheless Djokovic kept up with him most of the time, their baseline duels perhaps the most stunning and imaginative ever seen in Arthur Ashe Stadium. No, neither was another Federer for smoothness and cool. There’s only one Roger. Still, the sizzling spins, speeds and angles, the most incredibly low slices from Nadal tested their legs and determination. A-plus in both categories.
But Rafa was always a menacing presence, never letting Djokovic get comfortable. He would set traps – 26 break points – and the Serb would squirm out of reach, saving 20 of them. Novak was permitted to look at only four breakers, but he cashed three.
At one stretch in the third set, Novak dodged eight breakers. In that set’s last game Rafa dug out of 15-30 with two severely hooking service winners surrounding an ace. Rafa said: “I have never done that before. I’ve never played so well on the hard courts. Today I felt I had really played a good match (here) for the first time.”
Nadal is the third Spaniard to have won the US Championships following Manolo Santana in 1965, on grass and Manolo Orantes in 1975 on clay.
During a tournament in which he lost his serve a mere five times, and only one set, the one today, Rafa, says Novak, “proving each day, each year that he’s getting better. That’s what so frustrating a little bit. He’s getting better each time you play him.”
Nadal said of himself: “My intensity, my mental attitude, on court is my greatest strength. Well, the life change sometimes, no? Ten months ago seems like I never gonna be another time the same. Now seems I gonna be one of the greatest…..”
“Last year I had a difficult year … second half of the year was very difficult for me, have some personal problems, home and after, I have a lot of injuries. I did not win a tournament for 11 months. I played for six months very bad. I came back in January of this year, playing really well, but the titles didn’t came. I had great mentality at that point.”
In winning his ninth major title, Nadal adds to his winning two other majors this year, the French Open and Wimbledon. So close to a Grand Slam (the four majors within a calendar year), he only lacked the Australian Open..
Loser of the US final to Federer in 2007, Djokovic has one major, the Australian in 2008, and is getting better, too.
Said one customer: “Fine player, Djokovic, but I’m mad at him. Beating Federer he robbed us of the Nadal-Federer final that we all wanted, have never had in the US, and probably won’t have now.”
At 24 years, 101 days, Rafa is the third youngest of the career Slammers, behind 22-year-old Californian Don Budge in 1938 and 24 years. 32 days old, Aussie Rod Laver in 1962.
Rafa must have thought he was opposing the Djokovic family. There was the genuine Novak on the court and his mother, father and brother wearing tacky life-size Novak face T-shirts. Didn’t help. Not even the populace of Belgrade could have halted Roundhouse Rafa, not even the rain on his reign.
Tags: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer
September 14 2010 01:55 am | US Open
Mark on 14 Sep 2010 at 4:06 am #
Let’s go back a few decades. Did everyone watch tennis for the sole purpose of seeing history made and deciding who the best ever was? No way. Tennis was an esthetic/athletic pursuit, and people admired style and a complete game. Yet, by the time he was 27, many hastily decided Federer was the best ever, and now they’re changing ends and picking Nadal, who’s not even 25. Why can’t we just admire their play and their differing world records, and then make some sane assessments after they’ve both retired? Why do the Nadal and Federer fanatics, not to mention many journalists, beat us over the head with this topic? It’s too soon, too soon, too soon to decide. I personally feel a level of fatigue with men’s tennis now because of this narrow focus. It’s detracting from what is a golden time. Impartiality is the best way to enjoy a match!
Charlie on 14 Sep 2010 at 6:40 am #
Great analogy Bud. Rafa is a clinical boxer working the body. I would so much rather watch Fed, Edberg’s volleys or Leconte, but we have to give Nadal his due. The no look backhand cross court passing shots from 15 ft behind the baseline are amazing. He’s an all timer and maybe more, and ostensibly a gentleman. Martina derided Cash for having no groundies, but here’s hoping we see a contrasting style from some contender. But for now the scowling genius is king. Living by the slams we now go into the dark season and await the rumble down under, and the hope that Fed serves a little more consistently to factor. Great stories from the Open, Bud. From one tennis fan, thanks for the poetry and remembrances
CM on 14 Sep 2010 at 7:18 am #
“tacky”? – pretty funny coming from you of all people, Bud.
Were people really that disappointed not to see the Roger and Rafa show – again? This final is the rivalry of the future.
Gerar on 14 Sep 2010 at 7:40 am #
Nice article- Always loved your tennis reports, interviews and insights!
Antony on 14 Sep 2010 at 8:08 am #
Thanks Bud for this touching write up.
Rafa is indeed Remarkable. I hope he continues to play many years creating his own music and joy in the game.
Remarkable too that it is 1955 since anyone (Tony Trabert) won the French, Wimbledon, & US in one year (Slammer Laver excepted).
We are lucky to witness this golden age of men’s tennis. The best since Connors, Borg, McEnroe I think.
Keep writing and best wishes
Antony
Marty Zelnik on 14 Sep 2010 at 1:58 pm #
Djokovic certainly played outstanding tennis throughout the Open this year and, no doubt, deserved to make it to the finals. Yet I cannot help feeling that the Federer I saw play and lose to Djokovic was not playing at full strength. Sure, I have heard speculation that perhaps Federer has seen his best days and that “age” is creeping up on him. I, for one, think that Federer will rise again and, to use a favorite Collins expression, there will be many more Grand Slam “Huzzahs” for Federer down the road. I anticipate a major comeback by Federer now that the twins are toilet tarined and out of diapers!
Not wanting to wrap myself in the American flag, at least not as it relates to being a tennis fan, it’s so very hard to believe that the level of US men’s tennis from has reached such a low point. Roddick is quickly heading in the opposite direction having lost his once incredible serve and forehand, and not developed the rest of his game to the extent one though he would. And if there is such a thing as “creativity” and “imagination” in tennis shotmaking, Roddick was not around when they were handed out. After Roddick, there is not much to look forward to unless some juniors are being groomed somewhere.
Best to all and thanks to Anita for all the continued great visuals/
Fresno Divorce Lawyer on 14 Sep 2010 at 3:13 pm #
Great game to watch.
Jeff C. on 15 Sep 2010 at 11:49 pm #
Hi Bud, great website and keep up the writing!
Question for you, as it stands today, how would you rank the all time greats? Here is my list and tell me what you think:
1) Fed
2) Sampras
3) Laver
4) Borg
5) Lendl
6) Nadal
I rank Fed and Nadal very high because I believe tennis and sports in general are more competitive in the present era. What do you think and how would you ran the top ten all time?
Thanks!
Jeff
St. Louis, MO
Charlie on 07 Jan 2011 at 10:55 am #
Bud, looking forward to your first reports from Oz, as well as any previews/predictions. After a drought, we’ve been blessed with a few titanic Fed/Rafa clashes. Great table setters for a potential Slam final. Indeed, it looks like pick-em right now (on the carpet) as they trade victories like two boxing gladiators. I suppose the exhibitions don’t count, but they showcased two great champions! Bud, we need your wisdom to handicap the goings on. Even steven of late…but let’s hope Rafa can dispatch Nikolay in Qatar so we can break the tie before they start firing real bullets down under
anita on 27 Jun 2011 at 6:41 pm #
Very good list but I would place Laver as #1 because he won two Grand slams six years apart, very impressive. Also Davis Cups. I would also include Pancho Gonzalez in the top five. Your list is heavy with contemporary players. There are so many in history that are quite amazing as well.
Thank you, Bud