Rafael Nadal
earns his 16th Grand Slam title Sunday with an easy 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Kevin Anderson of South Africa.
NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal capped an easy draw at the U.S. Open with an easy 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Kevin Anderson of South Africa on Sunday in the men’s final.
It is Nadal’s third career U.S. Open title and his 16th title in a Grand Slam event. The 31-year-old Spaniard, who ranks No. 1 in the world, trails only Roger Federer (19) among men’s Grand Slam title winners.
Because of the injury-induced absences of many top players, the late withdrawal of Andy Murray, and Federer’s quarterfinal loss, Nadal didn’t have to face a player ranked among the world’s top 20. His semifinal opponent, Juan Martin del Potro, was seeded 24th and ranks 28th in the world. Anderson, a firsttime Grand Slam finalist and the first South African to reach the U.S. Open final in the Open Era — since 1968 — was seeded 28th and ranks 32nd in the world.
Nadal, who prevailed here in 2010 and 2013 and has always been popular with fans in New York because of his passion and persistence, had two break points in the third game of the first set and two more in the fifth
game. Moving well and playing well at the net, he finally cashed in for a service break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Nadal broke Anderson’s serve again to win the set.
Nadal went up a break to take a 4-2 lead in the second set and finished off the set with a forehand winner to win at love. He broke Anderson in the first game of the third set and pretty much cruised from there except for a spirited final game that went to deuce before Nadal hit a service winner and a backhand volley winner. Anderson never had a break point against Nadal on Sunday and is 0-5 in their career head-to-head matches.
“I really want to congratulate Rafa. I know we’re the same age but I feel like I’ve been watching you my whole life,” Anderson said during an oncourt
interview. “You’re one of my idols.”
Anderson thanked his parents, who introduced him to the game, and his friends and former teammates at the University of Illinois, where he had been an all-America selection.
Nadal paid tribute to Anderson, who had come back from a serious hip injury, saying he set a great example. The victory caps a strong season for Nadal. He was the runner-up to Federer at the Australian Open, won the French Open for the 10th time in his career, and won here without having to play a five-set match.
“It’s unbelievable what happened to me this year, with a couple of years of injuries and some trouble,” Nadal said. “To close the Grand Slam year by winning here in New York, this event brings me the high energy of New York because the crowd here makes me feel so, so happy.”