Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Monday 11 SepteMber 2017

Sweet 16: Nadal beats Anderson for 3rd U.S. Open, 16th major

By HOWARD FENDRICH night.” 16 for 34 in that category.
AP Tennis Writer Nadal added to his U.S. Another difference-maker:
NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Open triumphs in 2010 and Nadal never faced a break
Nadal against Kevin An- 2013 and improved to 16-7 point, although that was
derson in the U.S. Open fi- in Grand Slam finals. For the more a reflection of his tal-
nal shaped up as quite a first time since 2013, he ap- ent once the ball was in
mismatch — and that’s ex- peared in three in a single play than any particularly
actly what it was. season, losing to Federer dominant serving.
His game at a high level at the Australian Open in With Nadal standing way
at the end of an unusually January, then beating Stan back to receive serves,
easy path through a Grand Wawrinka for his record nearly backing into the line
Slam field, Nadal over- 10th French Open trophy in judges, he neutralized An-
whelmed first-time major fi- June. derson’s most effective skill.
nalist Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 Nadal’s career haul also Anderson came in hav-
on Sunday to win his third includes two trophies from ing won 103 of 108 service
championship at Flushing Wimbledon and one from games across six matches,
Meadows. the Australian Open. All of but Nadal accumulated
It is the No. 1-ranked Nad- his big victories have come break points at will from Rafael Nadal, of Spain, holds up the championship trophy after
al’s second Grand Slam while being coached by the get-go — two in a six- beating Kevin Anderson, of South Africa, in the men’s singles
title of the year and 16th his uncle, Toni, who is now deuce game at 1-all, an- final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017,
in New York.
overall. Among men, only stepping aside. The U.S. other two in a five-deuce Associated Press
Roger Federer has more, Open was the last Grand game at 2-all. ly a serve-and-volleyer and especially when facing the
with 19. Slam event of their partner- Anderson began trying to so is no expert at that tac- sort of target provided by
Each of those two long- ship. end points quickly with a tic; Nadal is superb at sum- the 6-foot-8 (2.03-meter)
time rivals won two of the Not since Pete Sampras at volley. Two problems with moning passing shots at ex- Anderson, the tallest Grand
four majors in 2017, mark- Wimbledon in 2000 had a that: Anderson is not usual- treme speeds and angles, Slam finalist in history.q
ing a return of both to the man won a Slam tourna-
heights of their sport. ment without facing any
Not only didn’t an injury- opponents ranked in the
hampered Nadal win a top 20.
Grand Slam tournament in In New York this time, the
2015 or 2016 — his first such bracket was weakened by
shutouts since 2004, when the injury withdrawals of
he was still a teenager — three of the top five men:
but he didn’t even make past champions Andy Mur-
it to a final in that span. ray, Novak Djokovic and
Seems safe to say that, at Wawrinka.
age 31, he is once again Plus, Nadal did not need to
the Nadal of old. deal with Federer: The po-
“Personally, it’s just unbe- tential for a semifinal, which
lievable what happened would have been their first
this year,” Nadal said, “af- U.S. Open meeting, was
ter a couple of years with dashed when Juan Martin
some troubles, injuries, del Potro eliminated Feder-
some moments playing not er in the quarterfinals. Nad-
good.” al then beat del Potro , the
At No. 32, Anderson was 2009 champion but now
the lowest-ranked U.S. ranked 28th, in the semis.
Open men’s finalist since Much like Nadal’s 6-2, 6-3,
the ATP computer rank- 6-1 win against Wawrinka
ings began in 1973. The at Roland Garros, the only
31-year-old South African beauty of this match was
never had been past the not in its competitiveness
quarterfinals at any major — not by a long shot — but
tournament in 33 previous in an appreciation for one
appearances, so when he participant’s absolute su-
won his semifinal on Friday, periority.
he climbed into the stands Forehands whipped up the
to celebrate. line.
There would be no such joy Two-handed backhands
for him on this day. Nadal ripped cross-court with fe-
simply dominated every rocity. The spinning, back-
facet of the 2½-hour final. to-the-net returns of serves
“I know we’re the same that darted in at him at
age, but I feel like I’ve been more than 130 mph (210
watching you my whole kph) and helped him break
life,” said Anderson, who Anderson four times.
is less than a month older He even came up with
than Nadal. “You really some terrific volleys, win-
have been an idol of mine. ning the point on all 16 of
And it’s tough playing you. his trips to the net. Ander-
You proved it again to- son, meanwhile, finished