US Open 2019: 5 best men's matches from this year's tournament

#1 Final: Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4

2019 US Open final

The best match of the 2019 US Open fittingly came in the final where three-time winner Rafael Nadal took on first-time Grand Slam finalist Daniil Medvedev.

In his only previous meeting with Medvedev in the Montreal Masters final earlier in the season, Nadal conceded only three games en route to the title. But any inkling of another 'comfortable' outing in New York quickly dispelled into thin air when Medvedev broke Nadal for a 2-1 lead after squandering a break point in the Spaniard's opening game of the match.

The young Russian, however, failed to consolidate the break and Nadal broke back for two games all. Medvedev saved three break points and won a cat-and-mouse exchange at the net to hold serve for 4-4.

Nadal's pressure remained unrelenting though, as Medvedev yielded his serve in the 12th game to concede the opening set.

The Russian dug himself out of a 0-40 hole in the fourth game of the second set to hold serve but Nadal came good on his fifth break point of the set to take a 4-2 lead en route to a commanding two-set lead.

In 138 previous editions of the tournament, Pancho Gonzalez was the last of five players to win the US Open final from two sets down when he beat Ted Schroeder 16-18, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in the 1949 title match.

Nadal moved to within three holds of a straight-sets win when he broke Medvedev for a 3-2 lead in the third. Medvedev admitted later to thinking about his speech in the post-match presentation at that juncture. But he promptly regathered his thoughts to break back in the next game.

The Russian held for a 6-5 lead and fired a blistering forehand winner to set up three consecutive set points. Nadal saved the first with a serve-and-volley but was powerless to save the second as Medvedev ensured the US Open final would go at least four sets.

Daniil Medvedev

In a competitive fourth set, Medvedev earned a set point when Nadal's forehand misfired at 4-5. The Russian gleefully accepted the opportunity with a brilliant backhand return winner past a bemused Nadal.

For the first time in 10 years, the Flushing Meadows final went the distance as Medvedev became the first player after Federer (2008 Wimbledon) to recover from a two-set deficit against Nadal in a Major final and force a fifth set.

Medvedev rode his momentum to hold serve in the opening game of the fifth but rued squandering three break points in the next game, one of them on a Nadal second serve, as the Spaniard held serve and broke for a 3-2 lead. Nadal promptly consolidated the break for a 4-2 lead and broke Medvedev for a second time in the set to take a 5-2 lead.

The final had more twists in store though, as Medvedev broke back for 3-5 and saved two championship points to hold for 4-5. Serving for the championship for the second time, Nadal conceded the first point of the game and narrowly avoided falling behind 0-30 as Medvedev hesitated to go for a volley at the net.

Nadal survived a break point in the game but soon collapsed to the ground in ecstasy following a Medvedev error, as the Spaniard sealed a fourth triumph at the US Open for his 19th Grand Slam title.

In the process, Nadal improved to 3-3 in five-set Grand Slam finals and Medvedev narrowly failed in his bid to become the 55th different player, and third Russian, to hoist aloft a Grand Slam trophy in the Open Era.