Novak Djokovic provided irrefutable proof that he is the world's best player right now and perhaps on his way to becoming one of the greatest ever with a 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-1 victory over Rafa Nadal in the US Open final on Monday.
In claiming his third grand slam title of an amazing season, Djokovic produced an incredible display of shotmaking and courage when his body started to wilt during a classic slugfest at Flushing Meadows that lasted four hours and 10 minutes.
The Serbian's lower back and his ribs were aching and his legs were starting to cramp up, but he ignored the pain and focused all his energy on the muscular Nadal, who was threatening to mount a comeback.
The Spaniard won the third set in a tiebreaker to keep the match alive and the raucous crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium were screaming their lungs out in the hope that it might go to five sets.
Both players appeared on the brink of total exhaustion but Djokovic remained calm and composed.
"In the big events and matches, the winner is decided by small margins, a couple of points," he explained after claiming his first US Open title and fourth major overall.
"I guess the winner is the one that believes in victory more than the other."
The victories have been flowing thick and fast for Djokovic this year. He has won 10 titles this season, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and no-one seems to know how to beat him, least of all Nadal.
Twelve months ago, the Spaniard was on top of the world after defeating Djokovic in New York to complete his own collection of grand slam titles, but now he can only look on as his rival has replaced him as the top dog in men's tennis.
Djokovic has usurped Nadal as the world number one and beaten him in six finals this year, including at Wimbledon and the US Open.
"Six straight loses, for sure that's painful but I'm going to work every day until that changes," Nadal said.
"So I have a goal. It's going to be tough to change the situation, but the goal is easy to see."
The pair produced a final of the highest quality, with some incredible rallies and shotmaking that whipped the centre court crowd into a frenzy. Nadal had his chances but it was Djokovic who won the key moments.
EPIC GAME
No matter how hard he tried, Nadal could not find a way to get on top of the Serbian, who had saved two match points in his epic semi-final win over Roger Federer to show that he has all the instincts of a prize fighter to go with his sublime skill.
In the opening set, the defending champion jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to be reined in by Djokovic, who kept the Spanish left-hander under constant pressure with some monster returns that landed right at his feet.
"It was a tough match, physically, mentally, everything," Nadal said.
"I fought until the last point. I tried my best at every moment. I am happy with a lot of things, much happier than the previous matches against him."
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Djokovic, mixing power with some delicate chip shots that often left Nadal in two minds, reeled off six straight games to take the opening set after 53 minutes but suddenly found himself down 2-0 again at the start of the second.
He broke back after a titanic third game that lasted more than 17 minutes and included eight deuces to lead 4-2. Nadal got back to 4-4 but another sloppy service game cost him the set.
The third set was the longest, lasting 84 minutes. Both players were broken three times but Djokovic led 6-5 and had the chance to serve out the match.
To his credit, Nadal fought back and forced the match into a fourth set but he was drained by the effort.
Djokovic was tired as well and called for a medical timeout at the start of the fourth set but he recovered quickly and ran away with the set to seal his first U.S. Open title and the fourth of his career.
Only the French Open remains missing from his trophy cabinet.
"I still want to win many more events, many more major events," Djokovic said.
"It would be unbelievable to be able to complete the grand slam, to win the French Open. It's something that is definitely an ambition, but it's going to take time."
Factbox on Novak Djokovic, who won the US Open for the first time, beating Spain's Rafa Nadal 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-1 at Flushing Meadows.
* Born: Belgrade, Serbia, May 22, 1987
* Coached by Slovak former ATP professional Marian Vajda since 2006.
* Began playing tennis aged four.
* His father was a professional skier and wanted his son to be a skier or professional soccer player but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis from an early age.
* First full year on tour in 2005, made grand slam debut as a qualifier at the Australian Open, losing to Marat Safin in the first round. Finished as the youngest player (18 years, five months) inside the top 100.
* In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort, followed that with second title indoors at Metz.
* In 2007, he won five titles (Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna), made the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon and advanced to his first grand slam final at the US Open, losing to Roger Federer 7-6 7-6 6-4.
* Broke the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets to win his maiden major title at the 2008 Australian Open.
* Upset Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 US Open before losing in four sets to Nadal in his second final in New York.
* Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in Belgrade in December, 2010.
* Began 2011 by winning the Australian Open, beating Andy Murray in the final, to end his three-year wait for a second grand slam.
* Won his next six tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. He did not lose again until June 3 when Federer ended his 41-match winning streak in 2011 in the French Open semi-finals.
* Beat Nadal to win his first Wimbledon title and replaced the Spaniard as the new world number one.
* Won a record fifth Masters title in a season when he won in Toronto, one of the lead-up events for the US Open.
* Saved two match points to beat Federer in the semi-finals of the US Open then defeated Nadal in the final to become just the seventh man to win three grand slams in a year since tennis turned professional in 1968.
In claiming his third grand slam title of an amazing season, Djokovic produced an incredible display of shotmaking and courage when his body started to wilt during a classic slugfest at Flushing Meadows that lasted four hours and 10 minutes.
The Serbian's lower back and his ribs were aching and his legs were starting to cramp up, but he ignored the pain and focused all his energy on the muscular Nadal, who was threatening to mount a comeback.
The Spaniard won the third set in a tiebreaker to keep the match alive and the raucous crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium were screaming their lungs out in the hope that it might go to five sets.
Both players appeared on the brink of total exhaustion but Djokovic remained calm and composed.
"In the big events and matches, the winner is decided by small margins, a couple of points," he explained after claiming his first US Open title and fourth major overall.
"I guess the winner is the one that believes in victory more than the other."
The victories have been flowing thick and fast for Djokovic this year. He has won 10 titles this season, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and no-one seems to know how to beat him, least of all Nadal.
Twelve months ago, the Spaniard was on top of the world after defeating Djokovic in New York to complete his own collection of grand slam titles, but now he can only look on as his rival has replaced him as the top dog in men's tennis.
Djokovic has usurped Nadal as the world number one and beaten him in six finals this year, including at Wimbledon and the US Open.
"Six straight loses, for sure that's painful but I'm going to work every day until that changes," Nadal said.
"So I have a goal. It's going to be tough to change the situation, but the goal is easy to see."
The pair produced a final of the highest quality, with some incredible rallies and shotmaking that whipped the centre court crowd into a frenzy. Nadal had his chances but it was Djokovic who won the key moments.
EPIC GAME
No matter how hard he tried, Nadal could not find a way to get on top of the Serbian, who had saved two match points in his epic semi-final win over Roger Federer to show that he has all the instincts of a prize fighter to go with his sublime skill.
In the opening set, the defending champion jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to be reined in by Djokovic, who kept the Spanish left-hander under constant pressure with some monster returns that landed right at his feet.
"It was a tough match, physically, mentally, everything," Nadal said.
"I fought until the last point. I tried my best at every moment. I am happy with a lot of things, much happier than the previous matches against him."
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Djokovic, mixing power with some delicate chip shots that often left Nadal in two minds, reeled off six straight games to take the opening set after 53 minutes but suddenly found himself down 2-0 again at the start of the second.
He broke back after a titanic third game that lasted more than 17 minutes and included eight deuces to lead 4-2. Nadal got back to 4-4 but another sloppy service game cost him the set.
The third set was the longest, lasting 84 minutes. Both players were broken three times but Djokovic led 6-5 and had the chance to serve out the match.
To his credit, Nadal fought back and forced the match into a fourth set but he was drained by the effort.
Djokovic was tired as well and called for a medical timeout at the start of the fourth set but he recovered quickly and ran away with the set to seal his first U.S. Open title and the fourth of his career.
Only the French Open remains missing from his trophy cabinet.
"I still want to win many more events, many more major events," Djokovic said.
"It would be unbelievable to be able to complete the grand slam, to win the French Open. It's something that is definitely an ambition, but it's going to take time."
Factbox on Novak Djokovic, who won the US Open for the first time, beating Spain's Rafa Nadal 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-1 at Flushing Meadows.
* Born: Belgrade, Serbia, May 22, 1987
* Coached by Slovak former ATP professional Marian Vajda since 2006.
* Began playing tennis aged four.
* His father was a professional skier and wanted his son to be a skier or professional soccer player but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis from an early age.
* First full year on tour in 2005, made grand slam debut as a qualifier at the Australian Open, losing to Marat Safin in the first round. Finished as the youngest player (18 years, five months) inside the top 100.
* In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort, followed that with second title indoors at Metz.
* In 2007, he won five titles (Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna), made the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon and advanced to his first grand slam final at the US Open, losing to Roger Federer 7-6 7-6 6-4.
* Broke the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets to win his maiden major title at the 2008 Australian Open.
* Upset Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 US Open before losing in four sets to Nadal in his second final in New York.
* Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in Belgrade in December, 2010.
* Began 2011 by winning the Australian Open, beating Andy Murray in the final, to end his three-year wait for a second grand slam.
* Won his next six tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. He did not lose again until June 3 when Federer ended his 41-match winning streak in 2011 in the French Open semi-finals.
* Beat Nadal to win his first Wimbledon title and replaced the Spaniard as the new world number one.
* Won a record fifth Masters title in a season when he won in Toronto, one of the lead-up events for the US Open.
* Saved two match points to beat Federer in the semi-finals of the US Open then defeated Nadal in the final to become just the seventh man to win three grand slams in a year since tennis turned professional in 1968.
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