New York, Sep 13 (IANS) Top seed Novak Djokovic captured his third major title of the year at the US Open Monday, defeating second seed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1.
A year after Nadal won three major titles, and four years after Roger Federer last did the same, Djokovic has now joined the club, another bit of garnish on perhaps the finest men’s single season in Open era history.
Djokovic converted 11 of 26 his break points while Nadal made only six count of 14.
Djokovic hit seven aces, five more than his Spanish 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.
The two carved up the year’s four major tournaments with Nadal grabbing the remaining French Open at Roland Garros, where Djokovic was inflicted his first loss of the season to Federer in the semifinal.
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 is the first time since 1988 that the same competitors reached the US Open final for consecutive years. Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander doubled up in the 1987-88 season.
