2013 US Open: Rafael Nadal adds to his growing legend with second US Open crown

Nadal won a tight ninth game in the third set which finally gave him the momentum (Getty Images)

It is impressive how Nadal forages into the minds of his opponent and starts eating away at their confidence. Djokovic, in control of the set at 3-1, was suddenly serving to stay in the set. The turn of events had obviously gotten to the Serbian.

The world No.1 made a couple of uncharacteristic errors to let Nadal get even at 30-30. Under immense pressure, Djokovic sank a forehand in the net to offer set point to Nadal. It was tennis at its brutal best and Nadal impressed again with a smoking down-the-line-winner to take a two-sets-to-one lead.

Midway through the second set, Djokovic had control of the match. In typically resilient manner, Nadal worked one point at a time to work his way back to win five of the last six games to turn adversity to opportunity. Djokovic had 17 winners to just 6 from Nadal, but he converted only 1 of 5 break point chances, whilst Nadal took 2 of 2. Those numbers themselves told a tale.

At 15-30, Djokovic had a scent of an opportunity, but he let it go again, fumbling an easy shot at the net to let it slip away. Nadal tired Djokovic again with a drop shot to exactly the same spot, only this time the Serbian found a nice angled winner to earn break point. But Nadal fought it off to hold for a 1-0 lead.

The momentum was now with Nadal with Djokovic looking a little worn out from that over four hour exertion in the semi-final. Nadal unleashed a beastly forehand to earn three break points at 0-40 in the second game. A power serve and a lucky bounce off the tape saved Djokovic momentarily, but Nadal unleashed a down-the-line forehand winner to go up 2-0.

Nadal held to 3-0, even as Djokovic started to look like a warrior on his final legs. Djokovic had lost eight of nine games at this point, but he held on to ensure it was just the one break that separated the two gladiators at 1-3 in the fourth set.

Djokovic dug himself deep into the trenches when he made a couple of forehand errors to slip to 30-30 in the sixth game.

Nadal was quickly off the mark in the final game, jumping to 30-15 with volley winners. A service winner gave the matador from Manacor two championship points. A short rally later, Djokovic sank a tired forehand into the net to give Nadal his 13th Grand Slam title and his second at Flushing Meadows. Nadal now has one more Slam title to his name than Roy Emerson, and is just one short of Pete Sampras and four shy of Roger Federer.

The key to the match was a progressive turn of events in the third set. Nadal was down a break at 1-3, from where he won eleven of the next thirteen games. While he broke Djokovic back in the sixth game, the most important twist came in the ninth game. Djokovic had three points to clinch a break and serve for the set, but the irrepressible Nadal found the weapons to hold his opponent at sway.

The numbers told a tale too – the accuracy of Nadal outdid the misplaced aggression of Djokovic. The Serbian made an impressive 46 winners to only 27 from Nadal, but the Spaniard needed only so many since Djokovic was bleeding errors. The world No.1 made an unsightly 53 unforced errors as compared to just 20 from Nadal. Djokovic managed to convert only 3 of 11 break point chances while Nadal on the other hand took 7 of 12 to dominate the Serbian in the moments that truly mattered.

The victory improved Rafa’s record against his arch rival Djokovic to 22-15 overall and a massive 13-5 in Grand Slams. Djokovic has made at least three major finals in each of the past three years, but he will have to find some renewed answers to the challenge from Nadal or risk living in his giant shadow again. The Serbian is now 6-6 in career Grand Slam finals. Like Serena Williams on Sunday, Nadal pocketed a massive $3.6 million – $2.6 million for the US Open title and a bonus of $1 million for being the Emirates Airline US Open Series champion.

Nadal is 22-0 on hard courts this season and with almost all remaining events on the calendar being on hard courts, there is no telling what he could achieve. After a debilitating injury crippled the Spaniard last year, he has come back with monstrous force. His 10th title in 11 finals, having made the final of every tournament but Wimbledon since his return underlines his stature as the best player on the ATP World Tour at the moment. The top billing should follow, sooner rather than later.