In a most exciting finale match at the heralded US Open in Forest Hills, New York on Sunday evening, Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal withstood the formidable challenge presented to him by the young Russian player, Daniel Medvedev. Nadal beat the Russian opponent in five sets on Sunday night to win his fourth US Open and edge to within one slam of Roger Federer’s collection of 20, according to a report in the UK’s Guardian newspaper.
Edited by: JV Staff
The 23-year-old Russian is the youngest finalist at the US Open since Djokovic lost to Nadal in 2010. This was Medvedev’s first grand slam final. According to a Guardian report, he did not win a five set match in four attempts. Nidal, who is a decade older than his Russian opponent sent a strong message that there is still life in his legs and his heart yet, as was reported in the Guardian.
In front of 24,000 enthused fans in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, Nidal scored a 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 win against the fifth seed over four hours and 50 minutes – the longest match of the fortnight, according to the Guardian.
“It has been an amazing final,” said Nadal after the match. “Medvedev’s summer is one of the best in the sport since I started playing. The way that he was able to fight was just incredible. It was the most emotional night in my tennis career. The nerves were so high. It was a crazy match.”
Medvedev paid tribute to his opponent in his post-match interview. “Unbelievable, outrageous, Rafa winning his 19th slam title It’s amazing for our sport what you’ve done. I fought for every point but unfortunately it didn’t go my way,” he said.
Medvedev paid tribute to the crowd after the match. “Because of your energy I was here in the final,” he said. “I’m a human being, I can make mistakes. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.”
What had looked to be a routine win for Nadal ended in a riot of nerves and glorious shot-making, one of the best slam finals in years.
Nadal has now won five majors since turning 30. His 19th major means the Big Three – Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic – have won 51 of the 59 played since he won his first in 2005. But Medvedev did his best to break the hegemony last breached by Stan Wawrinka, who beat Djokovic here in 2016.
The Guardian reported that it was Nadal’s 27th slam final, and he will be encouraged to believe there are more to come. He has never had much luck in Melbourne, although he won there in 2009, while Roland Garros, where he won his 12th French Open title this year, remains his banker, and he will have drawn comfort from reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon two months ago.
