RAFA OF OLD FINDS HIS GROOVE IN GRAND STYLE
RAFAEL Nadal entered the season on a two-year grand slam drought, having not even reached a major final during that time.
He will finish the season having reasserted himself with two more majors after yesterday adding the US Open title to the French Open he claimed this year.
Nadal overwhelmed Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the final to win his third title at Flushing Meadows.
The “old-timers” are back with Nadal, 31, and Roger Federer, 36, claiming all four of this year’s grand slam events between them after injuries and age appeared to have got the better of them.
“After a couple of years without competing at this very high, high level, very happy to be back,” Nadal said.
The No.1-ranked Nadal collected his 16th grand slam trophy overall and wore a white T-shirt to his news conference that listed the date and site of each one.
Only Federer has more with 19.
Nadal has dealt with knee and wrist problems, both likely a result of a physical brand of play over his career.
But 2015 and 2016 were his first seasons without reaching at least one grand slam final since he was a teenager in 2004.
It seems safe to say he is once again the Nadal of old. He added to his US Open triumphs in 2010 and 2013 and improved to 16-7 in grand slam finals.
For the first time since 2013, he appeared in three in a single season, losing to Federer at the Australian Open in January, then beating Stan Wawrinka for his record 10th French Open trophy in June.
The Spaniard also has two Wimbledon titles and one from the Australian Open.