Djokovic wins third U.S. Open title
Second major crown of year establishes Serb’s comeback
NEW YORK — The U.S. Open final appeared to be slipping away from Novak Djokovic. He dropped three consecutive games. He was angered by a crowd roaring for his popular opponent, Juan Martin del Potro. He was out of sorts.
And then came Sunday’s pivotal game, a 20-minute, 22-point epic. Three times, del Potro was a point from breaking and earning the right to serve to make it a set apiece. Three times, Djokovic steeled himself. Eventually, he seized that game — and del Potro's best chance to make a match of it.
A year after missing the U.S. Open because of an injured right elbow that required surgery, Djokovic showed he is unquestionably back at his best and back at the top of tennis. His returns and defense-to-offense skills as impeccable as ever, Djokovic collected his 14th Grand Slam title and second in a row by getting through every crucial moment for a 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over 2009 champion del Potro at Flushing Meadows.
This was Djokovic’s third championship in New York, along with those in 2011 and 2015. Add the trophies he has earned at six Australian Opens, one French Open and four Wimbledons, most recently in July, and the 31-yearold Serb pulled even with Pete Sampras for the third-most majors among men, trailing only Roger Federer’s 20 and Rafael Nadal’s 17.
“I was hoping he was going to be here, but he’s not,” Djokovic said of Sampras. “He’s my idol. Pete, I love you.”
Federer lost in the fourth round in New York; Nadal retired from his semifinal against del Potro because of a bad right knee. That put del Potro, 29, from Argentina, back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since his breakthrough nine years ago, a comeback for a guy who had four wrist operations in the interim.
“I believe he’ll be here again with the champion’s trophy. I really do,” said Djokovic, who gave his pal a hug at the net.
Del Potro spoke this week about the low point, in 2015, when he considered quitting the sport. But supported by a dozen or so friends from back home, whose “Ole!” choruses rang around the arena, he climbed up the rankings to a career-high No. 3 by thundering his 100 mph forehands and 135 mph serves.
Those produce free points against many foes. Not against Djokovic, who always seemed to answer.
Djokovic was better than del Potro on their many lengthy exchanges, using his trademark body-twisting, limb-splaying court coverage to get to nearly every ball, sneakers squeaking around the blue court in Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the roof was closed because of rain.
“I was playing almost at the limit, all the time, looking for winners with my forehands, backhands, and I couldn’t make it,” del Potro said, “because Novak (was) there every time.”
Never was that more apparent than the game that stood out on this evening: with Djokovic serving while down 4-3 in the second set. They went back and forth, through eight deuces and all those break opportunities for del Potro, until he slapped one forehand into the net, and another sailed wide.
Those were high-risk shots, but, as del Potro put it: “It's the only way to beat these kind of players.”
The game went so long that when it ended, with Djokovic holding to 4-all, spectators began leaving their seats, perhaps thinking it was time for a changeover, even though it wasn't. That prompted to chair umpire Alison Hughes to chastise them.
It was a brief request, though, unlike her many other pleas for quiet, mainly as fans were shouting and chanting and clapping in support of del Potro.
It all bothered Djokovic, who yelled and gestured toward the seats.
At one juncture, he pressed his right index finger to his lips, as if to say, “Shhhhhhh!”
The tiebreaker was resolved thanks to more del Potro miscues on his forehand side, as he looked fatigued. He made one last stand by breaking and holding for 3-all. But that was that.
When it ended, thanks to a three-game closing run by Djokovic, he flung his racket away and landed on his back, arms and legs spread wide.