Nadal wins 5-set classic to take title
NEW YORK — The 19th Grand Slam title that seemed so inevitable for Rafael Nadal during the first two-plus sets of the U.S. Open final suddenly seemed in doubt as Daniil Medvedev forced it to a fifth.
What had all the makings of a crowning morphed into a real contest thanks to Medvedev, a man a decade younger and appearing in his first major final. Medvedev shifted styles, upped his level and received an unexpected boost from Arthur Ashe Stadium spectators.
Truly tested for the only time in the tournament, the No. 2-seeded Nadal managed to stop Medvedev’s surge and hold off his historic comeback bid, pulling out a 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 victory in 4 hours, 50 minutes of highlight-worthy action and feature-film-worthy drama on Sunday, collecting his fourth championship at Flushing Meadows.
Nadal is now within one major trophy of Roger Federer’s record for Grand Slam titles won by a man. But this one did not come easily. Not at all.
Sure seemed it might, with Nadal ahead by two sets and a break in the third at 3-2. But the No. 5-seeded Medvedev, a 23-year-old from Russia, did not go gently into the night. He broke right back to 3-all, then again to claim that set and yet again to end the fourth.
Not since 1949 had a man won the U.S. Open final after trailing by two sets to one. Never before had Medvedev won a five-set match. Only once before had Nadal lost a Grand Slam match after taking the opening two sets.
And yet the drama here was real.
Even at the very end — or when everyone, save Medvedev, perhaps, figured it was the very end — Nadal had trouble closing things out. After breaking to lead 3-2 in the fifth, in a game Medvedev led 40-love, Nadal broke again and served for the championship at 5-2.
The way this back-andforth tale was spun, though, it probably was inevitable that Medvedev would break there. And so he did, because Nadal double-faulted on break point after he was docked a serve for his third time violation of the evening.
In the next game, Nadal held a pair of match points, but Medvedev, of course, avoided defeat yet another time, erasing one of those with a backhand winner, the other with a service winner.
With fans screaming, “Close it out!” at the ensuing changeover, Nadal once more stepped to the baseline to try to serve it out, this time at 5-4.
Naturally, he was forced to deal with another heart-inthroat break point, but came up with a stinging forehand that drew a long forehand from Medvedev.
Two points later, it was over, and Nadal was splayed on his back on the court, the victor at Flushing Meadows for the fourth time.
Add the Spaniard’s haul in New York to his 12 titles at the French Open, two at Wimbledon and one at the Australian Open, and the 20-19 gap between Federer and Nadal is the closest it’s been in 15 years.
Federer led 1-0 after his breakthrough triumph at the All England Club in 2004, and he had four by the time Nadal got his first at Roland Garros in 2005.
Federer, who lost in the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, is 38, while Nadal is 33 — making him the oldest male champion at Flushing Meadows since 1970. He’s also the first man to win five majors after turning 30.
Nadal says he wants to finish his career at No. 1 in the Grand Slam standings — ahead of Federer and Novak Djokovic, looming in third place currently with 16 — but also insists he won’t base his happiness on how it all shakes out in the end. Sunday’s Sports Transactions By The Associated Press
BASEBALL American League HOUSTON ASTROS — Recalled RHP Bryan Abreu from Round Rock ( PCL). LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Reinstated RHP Justin Anderson from the 10-day IL. NEW YORK YANKEES — Reinstated 3B Gio Urshela and 2B Thairo Estrada from the 10-day IL. Recalled C Kyle Higashioka and INF Breyvic Valera from Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre ( IL). SEATTLE MARINERS — Assigned RHP Matt Carasiti outright to Tacoma ( PCL). TAMPA BAY RAYS — Reinstated RHP Tyler Glasnow from the 60-day IL. Recalled 3B Michael Brosseau from Durham ( IL). Sent LHP Blake Snell to Durham for a rehab assignment.
National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Rein
September 9
1940 — Donald McNeil beats Bobby Riggs after losing the first two sets to capture the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association title. Alice Marble wins her third straight title with a two- set triumph over Helen Jacobs.
1956 — Australia’s Ken Rosewall wins the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association title with a four- set victory over Lewis Hoad. Shirley Fry beats Althea Gibson 6-3, 6-4 for the women’s title.
1960 — The Denver Broncos beat the Boston Patriots 13-10 in the American Football League’s first regular- season game. The game is played on a Friday night at Boston University’s Nickerson Field.
1968 — Arthur Ashe wins the U.S. Open by beating Tom Okker 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Ashe is the first African- American male to win a Grand Slam tournament. As an amateur, Ashe is ineligible to receive the $14,000 winner’s prize, but collects $280 in expenses for the two- week tournament.
1972 — UCLA’s Efren Herrera kicks a 20- yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining to beat preseason No. 1 Nebraska 20-17 at the Memorial Coliseum. 1974 — Jimmy Connors romps to a 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ken Rosewall to win the U.S. Open.
1978 — Chris Evert beats 16- year-old Pam Shriver 7-5, 6-4 to win her fourth straight U.S. Open.
1979 — In an all-New Yorker U.S. Open men’s final, John McEnroe beats Vitas Gerulaitis, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. Tracy Austin, at 16 years, 8 months and 28 days, becomes the youngest U.S. Open women’s singles champion, ending Chris Evert’s 31-match win streak at the Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
1984 — John McEnroe beats Ivan Lendl 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to win his fourth U.S. Open.
1990 — Pete Sampras, at the age of 19 years and 28 days, becomes the young
United States 2 1/2, Great Britain &
Ireland 1 1/2
Brandon Wu and Alex Smalley, U.S., def. Alex Fitzpatrick and Conor Purcell, B&I, 2 and 1
Andy Ogletree and John Augenstein, U.S., vs. Euan Walker and Sandy Scott, B&I, halved
Stewart Hagestad and Akshay Bhatia, U.S., def. Harry Hall and Conor Gough, B&I, 3 and 2
Tom Sloman and Thomas Plumb, B&I, def. Cole Hammer and Steven Fisk, U.S., 5 and 3
U.S.,
Singles
United States 8, Great Britain & Ireland
2
Isaiah Salinda, B&I, 2 up
John Pak, and 1
Sandy Scott, B&I, 4 and 3
Alex Smalley, B&I, 2 and 1 Stewart Hagestad,
U.S.,
def.
U.S.,
def.
def.
U.S.,
Alex
Euan
def.
Fitzpatrick,
Walker, B&I, 2
def. Brandon Wu,
Caolan
Harry
U.S.,
Rafferty,
Hall, stated RHP Yoshihisa Hirano from the 10-day IL.
ATLANTA BRAVES — Traded OF Ryan LaMarre to Minnesota for cash. CHICAGO CUBS — Assigned OF Mark Zagunis outright to Iowa ( PCL). CINCINNATI REDS — Recalled RHP Jimmy Herget from Louisville ( IL). COLORADO ROCKIES — Recalled RHP Rico Garcia from Albuquerque ( PCL). PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Placed OF Jason Martin on the 60-day IL. Selected the contract of RHP James Marvel from Indianapolis ( IL). Reinstated RHP Yefry Ramirez from the 10-day IL.
SAN DIEGO PADRES — Recalled RHP Trey Wingenter from Amarillo (TL). WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Recalled C Spencer Kieboom from Harrisburg
( EL) and placed him on the 60-day IL. Selected the contract of RHP Tres Barrera from Harrisburg. est U.S. Open men’s singles champion, defeating Andre Agassi, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. 1992 — Robin Yount becomes the 17th player to reach 3,000 hits in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians.
2000 — Venus Williams wins her first U.S. Open singles title, defeating Lindsay Davenport, 6-4, 7-5.
2006 — Top-ranked Ohio State tightens its hold on the No. 1 spot after beating the No. 2 ranked and defending champion Texas Longhorns 24-7 in Austin, Texas.
2007 — Asafa Powell sets another world record in the 100 meters, winning a heat at the Rieti Grand Prix in 9.74 seconds. The world’s fastest man improves his record by 0.03 seconds, having run 9.77 three times.
2012 — Serena Williams, two points from defeat, suddenly regains her composure and her game, coming back to win the last four games and beat No. 1-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 for her fourth U.S. Open championship and 15th Grand Slam title overall. 2015 — Japan’s Saori Yoshida wins her 16th world or Olympic freestyle title at the world wrestling championships. The most decorated athlete in wrestling history, the 32- year-old Yoshida wins her 13th title at worlds — to go with three Olympic golds in as many tries. 2017 — Sloane Stephens dominates Madison Keys in the U.S. Open final and wins 6-3, 6-0 for her first Grand Slam title. The 83rd-ranked Stephens is the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.
2018 — Alabama strengthens its hold on No. 1 over No. 2 Clemson. The Crimson Tide made its 106th overall appearance at the top of the AP football rankings, which started in 1936, passing Ohio State for the most by any school. 2018 — Cleveland ends its 17- game losing streak with a 21-21 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers. B&I, 5 and 3
Andy Ogletree,
B&I, 2 and 1
John Augenstein, U.S., def. Thomas Plumb, B&I, 4 and 3
Akshay Bhatia,
B&I, 4 and 2
Cole Hammer, U.S., def. Conor Purcell, B&I, 6 and 5
Tom Sloman, B&I,
2 up
U.S.,
U.S.,
B&I,
def.
def.
def.
def.
def.
Conor
James
Steven
Saturday Foursomes (alternate-shot)
Cole
Steven
Gough,
Sugrue,
Fisk,
Fisk,
U.S.,
Britain & Ireland 2, United States 2
Alex Fitzpatrick and Conor Purcell, B&I, def. John Augenstein and Andy Ogletree, U.S., 2 and 1
John Pak and Isaiah Salinda, U.S., def. Sandy Scott and Euan Walker, B&I, 2 and 1 Harry Hall and Conor Gough, B&I, def. Stewart Hagestad and Akshay, U.S., 2 and 1
Brandon Wu and Alex Smalley, U.S., def. Thomas Sloman and Thomas Plumb, B&I, 2 and 1
Singles
Britain & Ireland 5, United States 3
Alex Fitzpatrick,
U.S., 2 up
Euan Walker, B&I,
2 up
Sandy Scott, B&I, def. Andy Ogletree, U.S., 1 up
Hammer,
U.S.,
AMERICAN LEAGUE
New York Tampa Bay Boston Toronto Baltimore
Minnesota Cleveland Chicago Kansas City Detroit
Houston Oakland Texas Los Angeles Seattle East Division
W L Pct 93 50 .650 86 59 .593 76 66 .535 55 89 .382 46 97 .322 Central Division
W L Pct 88 55 .615 83 61 .576 63 80 .441 53 91 .368 42 100 .296 West Division W L 94 50 84 59 72 73 67 77
58 86 Pct .653 .587 .497 .465 .403
Saturday’s Games N.Y. Yankees 5, Boston 1 Tampa Bay 5, Toronto 3 Kansas City 7, Miami 2 Houston 2, Seattle 1
Texas 9, Baltimore 4 Minnesota 5, Cleveland 3
L.A. Angels 8, Chicago White Sox 7 Oakland 10, Detroit 2
Sunday’s Games Houston 21, Seattle 1
Tampa Bay 8, Toronto 3
Miami 9, Kansas City 0
Texas 10, Baltimore 4 Cleveland at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m. Cleveland 5, Minnesota 2 Chicago White Sox 5, L.A. Angels 1 Oakland 3, Detroit 1
N.Y. Yankees at Boston, 8:05 p.m.
Monday’s Games N.Y. Yankees (Paxton 12-6) at Boston dríguez 17-5), 7:10 p.m. Oakland (Fiers 14-3) at Houston 14-5), 8:10 p.m.
Cleveland (Bieber 13-7) at (Sandoval 0-2), 10:07 p.m.
Tuesday’s Games N.Y. Yankees at Detroit, 6:40 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m. Boston at Toronto, 7:07 p.m. Washington at Minnesota, 7:40 p.m. Tampa Bay at Texas, 8:05 p.m. Kansas City at Chicago White p.m.
Oakland at Houston, 8:10 p.m. Cleveland at L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m. Cincinnati at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.
L.A.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Sox, GB _ 8 16½ 38½ 47
GB _ 5½ 25 35½ 45½
GB _ 9½ 22½ 27 36
(Ro
(Greinke
Angels
8:10 BATTING-Ti.Anderson, Chicago, .334; LeMahieu, New York, .328; Alberto, Baltimore, .321; Brantley, Houston, .321; Devers, Boston, .314; Martinez, Boston, .310; Bogaerts, Boston, .309; Merrifield, Kansas City, .306; Cruz, Minnesota, .305; Gurriel, Houston, .304. RUNS-Betts, Boston, 127; Devers, Boston, 116; Bregman, Houston, 110; Trout, Los Angeles, 110; Semien, Oakland, 105; Bogaerts, Boston, 102; C.Santana, Cleveland, 99; LeMahieu, New York, 98; Kepler, Minnesota, 96; Villar, Baltimore, 96. RBI- J.Abreu, Chicago, 112; Devers, Boston, 107; Bogaerts, Boston, 105; Trout, Los Angeles, 104; Soler, Kansas City, 102; Bregman, Houston, 100; Gurriel, Houston, 98; Rosario, Minnesota, 94; Martinez, Boston, 94; Cruz, Minnesota, 92.
HITS-Merrifield, Kansas City, 185; Devers, Boston, 178; LeMahieu, New York, 173; Polanco, Minnesota, 170; Bogaerts, Boston, 168; Brantley, Houston, 168; Betts, Boston, 161; Semien, Oakland, 161; Martinez, Boston, 160; J.Abreu, Chicago, 158. DOUBLES-Bogaerts, Boston, 49; Devers, Boston, 49; Betts, Boston, 40; Gurriel, Houston, 40; Benintendi, Boston, 39; Brantley, Houston, 39; Castellanos, Chicago, 37; Semien, Oakland, 37; Lindor, Cleveland, 36; M.Chapman, Oakland, 35; Merrifield, Kansas City, 35. TRIPLES-Dozier, Kansas City, 9; Merrifield, Kansas City, 9; Mondesi, Kansas City, 9; M.Smith, Seattle, 9; Gardner, New York, 7; Kiermaier, Tampa Bay, 7; Meadows, Tampa Bay, 7; Semien, Oakland, 7; D.Gordon, Seattle, 6; Polanco, Minnesota, 6; Da.Santana, Texas, 6.
HOME RUNS-Trout, Los Angeles, 45; Soler, Kansas City, 41; Kepler, Minnesota, 36; Cruz, Minnesota, 35; Martinez, Boston, 35; G.Sánchez, New York, 34; G.Torres, New York, 34; Bregman, Houston, 34; C.Santana, Cleveland, 33; Edw.Encarnación, New York, 32; M.Chapman, Oakland, 32. STOLEN BASES-M.Smith, Seattle, 40; Mondesi, Kansas City, 37; Villar, Baltimore, 33; Andrus, Texas, 27; Jo.Ramírez, Cleveland, 24; D.Gordon, Seattle, 22; DeShields, Texas, 21; Lindor, Cleveland, 21; Pham, Tampa Bay, 20; Kiermaier, Tampa Bay, 19. PITCHING-Verlander, Houston, 18-5; Germán, New York, 17-4; E.Rodríguez, Boston, 17-5; G.Cole, Houston, 16-5; Fiers, Oakland, 14-3; Morton, Tampa Bay, 14-6; Odorizzi, Minnesota, 14-6; Giolito, Chicago, 14-8; Lynn, Texas, 14-10; Gonzales, Seattle, 14-11. ERA-Verlander, Houston, 2.52; G.Cole, Houston, 2.73; Minor, Texas, 3.08; Morton, Tampa Bay, 3.11; Bieber, Cleveland, 3.24; Giolito, Chicago, 3.27; Miley, Houston, 3.35; Fiers, Oakland, 3.52; Odorizzi, Minnesota, 3.60; Berríos, Minnesota, 3.78. STRIKEOUTS- G.Cole, Houston, 281; Verlander, Houston, 264; Bieber, Cleveland, 233; Boyd, Detroit, 225; Morton, Tampa Bay, 219; Sale, Boston, 218; Giolito, Chicago, 216; Lynn, Texas, 209; Bauer, Cincinnati, 185; Minor, Texas, 183.
St. Louis Chicago Milwaukee Cincinnati Pittsburgh
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta Washington Philadelphia New York Miami East Division
W L Pct 89 55 .618 79 63 .556 74 68 .521 72 70 .507 51 91 .359 Central Division
W L Pct 81 62 .566 76 66 .535 74 68 .521 67 77 .465 62 81 .434 West Division
W L
93 52
75 68
69 74
66 76
60 84
Los Angeles Arizona San Francisco San Diego Colorado
10-8) Pct .641 .524 .483 .465 .417
NATIONAL LEAGUE
GB _ 9 14 16 37
GB _ 4½ 6½ 14½ 19
GB _ 17 23 25½ 32½
Saturday’s Games Saturday’s Games
Arizona 2, Cincinnati 0
Kansas City 7, Miami 2 Philadelphia 5, N.Y. Mets 0
St. Louis 10, Pittsburgh 1 Milwaukee 3, Chicago Cubs 2 Atlanta 5, Washington 4
San Diego 3, Colorado 0
San Francisco 1, L.A. Dodgers 0
Sunday’s Games Miami 9, Kansas City 0 Cincinnati 4, Arizona 3
St. Louis 2, Pittsburgh 0 Washington 9, Atlanta 4 Milwaukee 8, Chicago Cubs 5 Philadelphia 10, N.Y. Mets 7
L.A. Dodgers 5, San Francisco 0 San Diego 2, Colorado 1, 10 innings
Monday’s Games Atlanta (Foltynewicz 5-5) at (Nola 12-4), 7:05 p.m.
Arizona (Kelly 10-13) at N.Y. Mets 8-8), 7:10 p.m.
Milwaukee (Lyles
0-1), 7:10 p.m.
Pittsburgh (Williams 7-6) at San (Bumgarner 9-8), 9:45 p.m. Chicago Cubs (TBD) at San Diego trill 6-6), 10:10 p.m.
Tuesday’s Games Atlanta at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m. Arizona at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee at Miami, 7:10 p.m. Washington at Minnesota, 7:40 p.m. St. Louis at Colorado, 8:40 p.m. Pittsburgh at San Francisco, 9:45 p.m. Chicago Cubs at San Diego, 10:10 p.m. Cincinnati at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.
at
Philadelphia
Miami
(deGrom
(Dugger
Francisco
(QuanBATTING-Rendon, Washington, .337; K.Marte, Arizona, .330; Yelich, Milwaukee, .330; B.Reynolds, Pittsburgh, .327; McNeil, New York, .325; Blackmon, Colorado, .318; Newman, Pittsburgh, .313; Arenado, Colorado, .309; Bellinger, Los Angeles, .306; T.Turner, Washington, .301. RUNS-Acuña Jr., Atlanta, 113; Freeman, Atlanta, 109; Bellinger, Los Angeles, 108; Rendon, Washington, 108; Blackmon, Colorado, 102; Story, Colorado, 101; Yelich, Milwaukee, 99; Soto, Washington, 98; Bryant, Chicago, 97; S.Marte, Pittsburgh, 96. RBI-Freeman, Atlanta, 115; Rendon, Washington, 114; Bell, Pittsburgh, 114; E.Escobar, Arizona, 110; Arenado, Colorado, 108; P.Alonso, New York, 107; Bellinger, Los Angeles, 105; Soto, Washington, 101; Harper, Philadelphia, 101; Yelich, Milwaukee, 97. HITS-K.Marte, Arizona, 178; Blackmon, Colorado, 167; Arenado, Colorado, 165; Albies, Atlanta, 164; Freeman, Atlanta, 164; Rendon, Washington, 164; Acuña Jr., Atlanta, 162; Yelich, Milwaukee, 160; S.Marte, Pittsburgh, 159; Story, Colorado, 157. DOUBLES-Blackmon, Colorado, 41; Rendon, Washington, 41; Albies, Atlanta, 39; Seager, Los Angeles, 39; J.Báez, Chicago, 38; Bell, Pittsburgh, 37; Bryant, Chicago, 35; Pillar, San Francisco, 35; Segura, Philadelphia, 35; Realmuto, Philadelphia, 34; B.Reynolds, Pittsburgh, 34; Story, Colorado, 34. TRIPLES-E.Escobar, Arizona, 10; K.Marte, Arizona, 9; Albies, Atlanta, 7; Blackmon, Colorado, 7; Eaton, Washington, 7; A.Frazier, Pittsburgh, 7; A.Rosario, New York, 7; Ervin, Cincinnati, 6; S.Marte, Pittsburgh, 6; Tatis Jr., San Diego, 6.
HOME RUNS-P.Alonso, New York, 45; Yelich, Milwaukee, 44; Bellinger, Los Angeles, 44; E.Suárez, Cincinnati, 44; Freeman, Atlanta, 38; Arenado, Colorado, 37; Acuña Jr., Atlanta, 37; Donaldson, Atlanta, 36; Bell, Pittsburgh, 36; Schwarber, Chicago, 34. STOLEN BASES-Acuña Jr., Atlanta, 34; T.Turner, Washington, 31; Yelich, Milwaukee, 30; J.Dyson, Arizona, 29; S.Marte, Pittsburgh, 25; Robles, Washington, 24; Story, Colorado, 20; Wong, St. Louis, 20; Margot, San Diego, 19; Cain, Milwaukee, 16; A.Rosario, New York, 16; Tatis Jr., San Diego, 16. PITCHING-Fried, Atlanta, 16-4; Strasburg, Washington, 16-6; Dak.Hudson, St. Louis, 15-6; L.Castillo, Cincinnati, 14-6; Kershaw, Los Angeles, 13-5; Quintana, Chicago, 138; Buehler, Los Angeles, 12-3; Nola, Philadelphia, 12-4; Márquez, Colorado, 12-5; Ryu, Los Angeles, 12-5.
ERA-Ryu, Los Angeles, 2.45; Scherzer, Washington, 2.56; Soroka, Atlanta, 2.67; S.Gray, Cincinnati, 2.75; deGrom, New York, 2.76; Greinke, Houston, 2.90; Flaherty, St. Louis, 2.99; Kershaw, Los Angeles, 3.06; Corbin, Washington, 3.16; L.Castillo, Cincinnati, 3.21. STRIKEOUTS- Strasburg, Washington, 222; deGrom, New York, 220; Scherzer, Washington, 216; Corbin, Washington, 210; L. Castillo, Cincinnati, 208; Ray, Arizona, 207; Nola, Philadelphia, 200; Flaherty, St. Louis, 196; Buehler, Los Angeles, 190.