Federer still the top man

Rafael Nadal closed the gap to Roger Federer at the top of the list of the most successful male grand slam singles players of all time with his third US Open title.

Here, Courier Sport looks at tennis’s leading men.

19 titles: Roger Federer (Swi) 16: Rafael Nadal (Spa) 14: Pete Sampras (USA) 12: Novak Djokovic (Ser), Roy Emerson (Aus)

11: Bjorn Borg (Swe), Rod Laver (Aus) 10: Bill Tilden (USA) 8: Ken Rosewall (Aus), Fred Perry (Gbr), Jimmy Connors (USA), Andre Agassi (USA), Ivan Lendl (Cze). on defence. I think he improved the second serve and he plays more relaxed on the first serve. (His) forehand is okay again.

“Sometimes this year he’s been playing amazing tennis. He has not been injured, which for me is key. You see all the other players, how tough it is for them to be healthy.”

One thing Nadal did not manage to achieve in 2017 was a victory over his great rival Roger Federer.

Federer won a classic Australian Open final and clashes in Indian Wells and Miami, and they were denied a fourth meeting by the Swiss star’s loss to Juan Martin del Potro in the quarter-finals in New York.

For the first time in six and a half years, Nadal and Federer are ranked one and two, and Moya hopes they will soon meet again.

He said: “We look forward to that. Rafa is prepared and for me as a tennis fan it’s one of the best matches you can see, so I would love (him) to play Roger.

“They make each other better. For Rafa, having that challenge, it’s something that for sure makes you evolve, and we try to look at some of the things that Federer is doing, because what he has done this year at 36 is unbelievable.”