Rafael Nadal’s US Open win puts Roger Federer’s record within reach

Rafael Nadal’s ability to reinvent himself has led to him becoming the most successful 30-something man tennis has ever seen.

Rafael Nadal receives the US Open trophy from Australian tennis legend Rod Laver. Picture: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal’s ability to reimagine himself has been the catalyst to the Spaniard becoming the most successful 30-something man that tennis has seen.

The best clay-court exponent of all time has positioned himself to become arguably the greatest player ever after defeating Daniil Medvedev in a superb US Open final.

Nadal looked to be coasting to a fourth crown in New York when he led the Russian, who was playing his first grand slam final, by two sets and a service break.

Only Fabio Fognini has beaten him from that position in the more than 200 matches when Nadal has claimed the first two sets.

But the angular Russian gave it an almighty shake before falling 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 in 10 minutes shy of five hours of superb tennis and theatre.

The 23-year-old Medvedev joined Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi as the only men to make finals in Washington DC, Montreal, Cincinnati and New York in a summer Nadal described as one of the most amazing he had seen. Medvedev lived up to this billing with an outstanding performance and shapes as a likely contender for years to come.

But it was Nadal who emerged the victor and is a champion well worth celebrating.

The 33-year-old was in tears as a video montage of his 19 grand slam singles triumphs was shown to a capacity crowd of nearly 24,000 who had been enraptured by the battle on court.

“To see all the things I went through, be able to still being here is so special for me,” Nadal said.

“The emotions have been there watching all the success, all the moments that came to my mind in that moment. I tried to hold the emotion, but some moments (are) impossible.”

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Nadal was presented the winning trophy by another tennis legend, Rod Laver. The Australian’s deed of winning the 1969 Grand Slam has been celebrated all year and remains unparalleled in men’s ranks in the open era.

The Rockhampton “Rocket” paid tribute to his fellow left-hander. “Stand tall, friend, you are closing in. It was a privilege to present this trophy to you tonight,” Laver said.

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Nadal has closed rapidly on the great Roger Federer, with his triumph reducing the gap between them to just one major title.

Novak Djokovic, who shared the four grand slam titles with Nadal this year, is in third place with 16 major wins to his name.

The dominance of the three ­titans remains astounding. They have shared the past 12 major championships, dating back to Stan Wawrinka’s US Open success in 2016.

In a decade of domination from 2010 to 2019, they have claimed 33 of the 40 grand slam championships.

Wawrinka won Australian, French and US Open titles in that period, and Andy Murray a couple of Wimbledons along with a success in New York. Marin Cilic tasted success at the 2014 US Open.

That Nadal would be dominant on hard courts — he was unbeaten in North America this summer — or even playing at all at this age appeared unlikely given the intense physical style in which he competed early on.

But he has been able to adapt his style and this has enabled him to continue to succeed, with the victory over Medvedev another shining example of this.

Darren Cahill, who coached Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Simona Halep to the world’s top ranking, noted during the US Open that Nadal had increased the pace on his serve by about 10km/h.

His initial triumph in New York in 2010 was claimed when he adjusted his grip on serve to allow him to serve flatter and faster. And he continues to tinker.

The other great stride forward has been the quality of his net play. An argument can be made that he now possesses one of the soundest net games on tour, a staggering strength when combined with his baseline supremacy.

This came to the fore in a final in which both men were willing to regularly approach the net.

Nadal serve-and-volleyed on 20 points, winning 17 of them. Overall, he won 51 of the 66 points in which he approached the net. It was incredibly successful and arguably the difference in the final where only 13 points in all separated the two players.

Nadal’s pursuit of Federer resumes in Melbourne, which has been his least successful grand slam venue, although he claimed the Australian Open in 2009 and has made four more finals.

Then he will return to Paris, where he is a 12-time champion. Providing Nadal retains his fitness and there is always an if with his health given previous history — he will be the man to beat.

“Well, that competition, if that attracts fans and create interest on the people, that’s good for our sport, no?” he said.

“I feel honoured to be part of this battle. But I repeat the same — you can’t be all day looking next to you (wondering) about one having more or one having (a) little bit less because you will be frustrated.

“What gives you the happiness is the personal satisfaction that you have given your best. In that way I am very, very calm, very pleased with myself.”