Medvedev Proud As 'Amazing Summer' Ends with US Open
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2019 12 Rafael Nadal celebrates with the US Open trophy Nadal claims 19th Slam title history from Mats Wilander’s 1988 win Electric fifth set and Andy Murray’s 2012 title. It was the second Slam title of the On a knife’s edge at 5-5 in the third year for Nadal after taking his 12th set, Medvedev reeled off eight of the KNOW WHAT French Open crown in June. last nine points to force a fourth, break- In addition to reaching the brink of ing Nadal in the 12th game with a back- Federer’s mark, Nadal moved one shy of hand winner. The Rafael Nadal is only one the Open era record five US Open titles “To be honest in my mind, I was al- 33-year- Slam title behind Roger won by Federer, Jimmy Connors and ready thinking, ‘What do I say in the old Spanish Pete Sampras. speech, it’s going to be in 20 minutes,” left-hander Federer “A 19th Grand Slam title is something Medvedev said. moved one shy unbelievable, outrageous,” Medvedev “I was like, ‘I have to fight for every of Roger Feder- said. ball,’ and it went further but it didn’t er’s all-time men’s record Nadal, who won his only prior meet- go my way.” 20 Grand Slam triumphs ing with Medvedev in last month’s Nadal was broken in the 10th game and became the second-old- were so high after having the match Montreal final, stretched his win streak of the fourth set to force a fifth when est New York champion in the Open era almost under control.” over Russians to 20 matches since los- Medvedev blasted a sterling backhand Rafael Nadal defeated after Ken Rosewall in 1970 at age 35. World number two Nadal took the ing to Nikolay Davydenko in the 2011 return winner. • “Has been one of the most emotional top prize of $3.85 million at Arthur Doha semi-finals. Nadal rescued three Medvedev Daniil Medvedev in a five-set nights in my tennis career,” Nadal said. Ashe Stadium and added to his US Open Fifth seed Medvedev, 23, would have break chances to hold in the second thriller to win his fourth US A video tribute in the wake of his trophy haul from 2010, 2013 and 2017. been the youngest men’s Grand Slam game of the fifth set, fired a backhand Open and 19th major title gritty triumph moved Nadal to tears. Nadal, who was in his fifth US Open champion since Juan Martin del Potro volley winner to break Medvedev in “The way that the match became championship match and 27th Grand at the 2009 US Open. the fifth game and seized a 5-2 edge Nadal showed his warrior very dramatic at the end, that makes Slam final, is the first man to claim five Medvedev, who will rise to a ca - when Medvedev hit an overhead smash • this day unforgettable,” Nadal said. major titles after turning 30. reer-best fourth in the rankings, was a long. spirit to win the match that “Watching all the success, all the Nadal, who rose to 22-12 in five-set champion at Cincinnati and runner-up Serving for the match, Nadal was bro- lasted just short of five hours moments that came to my mind, I tried matches, only lost once at a Slam when at Montreal, Washington and the Open. ken when umpire Ali Nili issued Nadal to hold the emotion, but some moments up two sets, to Italy’s Fabio Fognini in “His summer was one of the best a time violation for his first serve and AFP | New York was impossible.” the 2015 US Open third round. summers I ever saw,” Nadal said. “Peo- the Spaniard sent his second long, the It took a supreme effort from the “I more or less had the match under ple saw why he is already number four crowd booing Nili for his call. Spanish maestro, who nearly became control,” Nadal said. “The way he was in the world.” Nadal squandered two break and elivering one of his most dra- the first player to drop the final after able to fight, to change the rhythm of Medvedev, who saw his career-best match points in the ninth game as the matic major final performanc- leading by two sets since Ted Schroeder the match, was incredible.” 12-match win streak snapped, would drama intensified. es, Rafael Nadal captured his in 1949 before winning a near five-hour have been the first Russian to win a Again serving for the match, Nadal D ‘Unbelievable, outrageous’ 19th career Grand Slam title Sunday by thriller. Grand Slam title since Marat Safin at rescued a break point then hit a fore- winning his fourth US Open, outlasting “This victory means a lot,” Nadal At four hours and 50 minutes, the the 2005 Australian Open and the first hand drop volley for his third match Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, said. “And the way it happened. It was match finished four minutes short of Russian to win the US Open since Safin point chance and Medvedev sent a 4-6, 6-4. hard to control the nerves. The nerves equaling the longest final in US Open in 2000. forehand return long to end matters. Mertens and Sabalenka take US Medvedev proud as ‘amazing Open women’s doubles crown summer’ ends with US Open AFP | New York nitely remember it even when um crowd, tapped into his ener- I’m, like, 70 years old.” gy reserves to launch a stirring aniil Medvedev said he was Medvedev, who won his first fightback that had Nadal up Dincredibly proud of a re- Masters title last month in Cin- against the ropes. markable six-week hardcourt cinnati, will climb to a career After leveling the final at two run in North America that cul- high of fourth in the ATP rank- sets apiece, Medvedev missed minated with Sunday’s agoniz- ings. three break point chances in ing five-set loss to Rafael Nadal “After the summer I had no the second game of the decid- in the US Open final. fear. I had everything to win. I er. He looked beaten after go- Medvedev became just the think it’s Rafa who had some- ing a double break down, but third man to reach finals at thing to lose. I went out there, retrieved one and erased two Washington, Canada, Cincin- I gave everything I could, and match points, creating an op- nati and the US Open in the I’m proud of myself,” Medve- portunity to get back on serve same summer, but like those dev said. as Nadal served for the title a before him -- Ivan Lendl (1982) “He was the better one today. second time. and Andre Agassi (1995) -- he I have to admit it. I have no too finished runner-up in New regrets.” ‘Close to winning’ York. The Russian, a first-time “Was I close to winning? Yes, “It was an amazing match. Grand Slam finalist, joked he one set away. I mean, had break It’s an amazing story. All this was thinking of what to say points at 5-4. I will remember summer is amazing for me. I during the trophy presentation everything of it. I will be dis- will remember every moment after losing the first two sets appointed with the result, but of it,” Medvedev said. to Nadal. I will be happy with the way “I have a really good memory But Medvedev, spurred on by I played, as I say, the whole Elise Mertens (L) of Belgium and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus pose with the trophy if we talk about tennis. I’ll defi- an electric Arthur Ashe Stadi- summer, the whole US Open,” Medvedev said. AFP | New York all so new. Thanks to Aryna. I ing the Miami title. “My wife always tells me that keep her going. She keeps me Barty, who takes over as I have to be happy about myself elgium’s Elise Mertens going.” world number one in singles, sometimes, because I’m really Band Belarusian Aryna Sa- Sabalenka’s overhead smash won last year’s US Open title self-criticizing. For example, balenka captured their first produced a break to win the with American CoCo Vandewe- tonight I’m not happy to lose, Grand Slam title Sunday by first set and it was an Azarenka ghe. but I have to give myself credit winning the US Open wom- overhead smash beyond the The Aussie could have be- for these two weeks. It’s been en’s doubles final over Aus - baseline that ended matters af- come the first woman with amazing. tralia’s Ashleigh Barty and Be- ter 97 minutes. back-to-back US Open women’s “Before the tournament, my larus’ Victoria Azarenka 7-5, “It’s like something unbeliev- doubles titles since France’s best result was fourth round 7-5. able this year happened, espe- Nathalie Dechy in 2006 and of a Slam. I had some physical The fourth-seeded duo cially in doubles,” Sabalenka 2007. problems. Sometimes I didn’t dropped only one set in the said. “I’ve enjoyed every second “The level was high and we play as good as I wanted. But tournament in reaching their on the court.” were right there,” Barty said. I managed to be in the final. I first Grand Slam final. Mertens and Sabalenka won “But they were huge on the big managed to give huge fight to “I can’t believe we won a the only prior meeting between points and that’s why they won one of the best players in the Grand Slam,” Mertens said.