Nadal crowned for the third time

Photo: Jewel Samad Agence France-Presse
The Spanish Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against South African Kevin Anderson.

The no. 1 in the world Rafael Nadal won the US Open for the third time in his career, four years after his previous title, beating Sunday in a final, one-way, the African Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

If the US Open 2017 has not spared the big boys, including Roger Federer, fell in the quarterfinals, or even the main outsiders, the logic has, however, been strictly adhered to in the final.

The big favorite, who won her 23rd final in a Grand Slam, dominated the guest-surprise, 32nd in the ATP rankings, which had never exceeded until then the quarter-finals of a major tournament.

A gain of 74 titles

Nadal was offered to 31 years, with the authority of its 16th title in a Grand Slam, the second of the year after Roland Garros in June — for the tenth time ! — and his third in New York, after 2010 and 2013.

He now displays his impressive record of a total of 74 titles.

Better yet, while his last residence on cement was in January 2014 (Doha), “Rafa” has shown that, as in his best years, nothing resisted it, and that his poor season in 2016, disrupted by an injury to an elbow, was no more than a distant memory.

“Since the beginning of the season, I played at a very high level rather high. Finish off the year’s Grand Slam success is really incredible, ” pointed out Nadal has pocketed a cheque of $ 3.7 million, bringing its total gain to 90 million.

An opponent helpless

As was widely expected, the Spaniard was far too strong for Anderson.

In the first round, while Nadal won easily his service games, Anderson, is particularly vulnerable on his second bullet of service, was quickly under pressure : it took him as well to fight almost ten minutes to win his second game of service.

It pushed four balls of damage, before giving up, sending an attack of the kick right in the corridor, to the fifth, which allowed Nadal to lead 4-3, then 5-3.

The no. 1 in the world, more and more incisive, has bagged thanks to a volley winner in the first round on the service of his opponent after 58 minutes of play.

The scenario is repeated in almost identical form in the second round, except that Nadal has taken the service of the South African as early as the 6th game, by multiplying the ascents to the net.

Led two sets to zero after a little less than two hours of play, Anderson is even more complicated, the task assignor to enter its service after a series of four unforced errors.

It has not managed to reverse the situation and allowed Nadal to serve for the match at 5-4 : the Spanish, despite a last burst of Anderson, did not miss his chance at the conclusion of its final on a last end winner.

This victory had a special taste for Nadal, since his uncle Toni, his coach, do the will be more on a daily basis on the ATP tour from next season, and he warmly thanked : “Without him, I would not be there,” he assured.

In the absence of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, passes on injury, and after the elimination of Federer, Nadal, verified the overwhelming superiority of the “Big Four” that dominates the tennis male : to them four, they have won 46 of 51 last tournaments of the Grand Slam

Stephens in the court of the great

New York — American Sloane Stephens has won 24 of its first title of Grand Slam in its first final by beating her compatriot Madison Keys, 16th, world, 6-3, 6-0, Saturday in New York. Stephens, 83rd in the world, has won with an impressive serenity the fifth title of his career, by far the most important, which guarantees him a gain of $ 3.7 million.