Slam No. 16 as Nadal hails best season
SPANIARD UNPERTURBED ABOUT CATCHING FEDERER’S 19 TITLES
afael Nadal described the year 2017 as “one of the best of his career” on Sunday after winning a third US Open and 16th Grand Slam.
World No. 1 Nadal defeated South Africa’s world No. 32 Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in a brutally one-sided final during which he did not face a break point.
Nadal also claimed an unprecedented 10th French Open in June after finishing runnerup to Roger Federer at the Australian Open.
“In terms of results, this has been one of the best seasons of my career, of course,” Nadal admitted of a year in which he won at least two Slams for the fourth time in his career.
Had he gotten the better of Gilles Muller at Wimbledon, where he lost the final set of his fourth-round clash 15-13, the year might have been even more memorable.
“I have been winning titles, playing three finals of Grand Slams, so that’s a lot. That’s so difficult. The other slam that I was not in the final, I lost the match 15-13 in the fifth to be in the quarter-finals.
Epic story
“So was very competitive year for me. And on clay, I won almost every match. Of course is an emotional season because I have been through tough moments in terms of injuries.”
Nadal’s win on Sunday was the latest chapter in an epic story of domination by the sport’s superstars.
From Wimbledon in 2003, an incredible 53 of 58 Slams have now been claimed by just five men — Federer (19), Nadal (16), Novak Djokovic (12) and Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka with three apiece.
Only Andy Roddick, Gaston Gaudio, Marat Safin, Juan Martin del Potro and Marin Cilic have broken the spell.
“We are in an era that is not nice to say, because I’m part of it, but we are in an era that some players make incredible things in this sport,” said Nadal.
“It’s difficult to win a lot of titles. We should be very happy. Probably even Roger and me and Novak, much more than we ever dreamed.”
To hammer home their enduring appeal and dominance, Federer and Nadal shared the four Slams in 2017 — Federer winning the Australian Open before capturing a record eighth Wimbledon.
Despite his success, catching the 19 majors of Federer is not particularly high on Nadal’s list of priorities. “I really never thought much about that. I just do my way. He does his way. Let’s see when we finish,” he said.
Amazing season
“I have 16. So three is big difference. I really don’t think much about these kind of things.
“Well done for Roger that he is having an amazing season, too, and well done for me because I’m having a great season, too.
“Tennis is not all about the Grand Slams, so there are tournaments to come and I’m excited about this last part of the season.”
It’s all a far cry from the end of last year when Nadal was ranked at nine in the world and Federer was 16.
It was also a 2016 season that saw the injury-hobbled Nadal lose in the first round at the Australian Open, withdraw after two rounds of the French with a wrist problem, skip Wimbledon and exit the US Open in the last 16.
However, in 2017, Federer and Nadal have won five titles apiece and yesterday they were back to No. 1 and No. 2 in the Grand slam titles (16) Australian Open (2009) French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017) Wimbledon (2008, 2010) US Open (2010, 2013, 2017). - Nadal won his 16th grand slam in his 23rd major final and is three titles away from the men’s record held by his great rival Roger Federer. He ended a four-year title drought at Flushing Meadows. Won the French Open on debut in 2005 and a year later beat Roger Federer in the final. In 2007, he became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a hat-trick of Roland Garros titles. Suffered his first French Open loss in 2009 to Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the fourth round. Regained the title the following year, beating Soderling in the final. He also won his first US Open title, becoming the seventh man to win all four grand slams. Matched Borg’s record of six French Open titles with his 2011 victory and overtook the Swede in 2012. Became the first man with eight titles at the same grand slam in 2013 at Roland Garros. He also won the US Open. Became the first man to win five successive French Open titles in 2014. Won his second grand slam of 2017 at Flushing Meadows after a record-extending 10th French Open title in June.
world for the first time since 2011. “I was surprised in January. Now I am not that much surprised,” said Nadal.
“There are things that probably Roger and me share — that is passion for what we are doing, passion for tennis, passion for the competition and the spirit of improvement all the time.”