Monday 10 September 2018

Novak Djokovic wins third US Open

Novak Djokovic clinched his third US open title with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 triumph over Juan Martin Del Potro, taking him level with Pete Sampras mark of 14 Grand Slams.

Djokovic, playing in this eighth final in New York and already the champion in 2011 and 2015 is now just three slams behind Rafael Nadal and six back from the record 20 held by Roger Federer. It was also the third time the 31 year old Serbian who missed last year’s tournament with an elbow injury which sent his career into a mini-crisis completed the Wimbledon US open double.
For world number three Del Potro, it was a heartbreaking experience coming in just his second Slam final, nine years after he was crowned US Open champion. It was Djokovic 15th win over the Argentine and fifth in five at the Slams. Victory also means that 50 of the last 55 majors have been win by the 'Big Four' of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Del Potro was looking at having to become the first man since Pancho Gonales in 1949 to win the US title from two sets down. Djokovic sprinted into a 3-1 lead in the third set before a battling Del Potro clung on, hitting back for 3-3. But off the back of a 24-shot rally, Djokovic broke again for 5-3 and he was within tantalizing touching distance of his 14th Grand Slam title, just three months after he had left Roland Garros in despair after a shattering quarter-final exit.

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