Champion Nadal wins a Federless Final

There are champions in sport and there are greats. Federer and Nadal are already greats and in company with Laver, McEnroe and Borg. Djokovic has the credentials, but not the results.

We have been denied the joy of watching Nadal and Federer this year. Life is not a fairytale. If it were, broadcasters would have had many dream finals between Federer and Nadal.

Nadal went through last year with his parents separating and an injury. Federer is coming to terms with being a father. For him, suddenly, winning another Grand Slam is not the most important thing in the world.

Kids do that to you. Along with a resurgent Novak Djokovic.

On the other hand, women may cope better as Mother Kim proved with her demolition of Zvonereva.

The single-minded focus, to the exclusion of all else, is what separates the greats from the champions. Coming into this final I felt Nadal was the more single-minded. Not that Federer has been lax in his training and practice, but that Federer has more to distract him.

As Nadal said: “When I go to practice I don’t go just to practice. I go to learn and improve.”

The one factor that had me believing Federer could beat Nadal was his mastery of the half-volley, one of the most difficult shots to execute consistently well. The half-volley taken off the toes, both backhand and forehand.

And for added effect, the change of direction. Instead of hitting it back in the direction it came from, a flick of the wrist sends it cross-court or down the line. But first he had to get past Djokovic.

Nadal duly won his semi-final against Youznhy and the TV moguls held their breath for Federer to get through his semi.

Nadal’s great strength is his retrieving. He has the tenacity of Rosewall and the explosiveness of Pancho Gonzales. And a burning self-belief. Also a sense of destiny.

If you can imagine a raging Pamplona bull with the legs of a cheetah, then you have Nadal.

Federer versus Nadal was going to be the biggest men’s match at the US Open since Sampras and Agassi in the 2002 final. This was going to be Federer’s seventh successive US Open final appearance.

He had won five in a row from 2004 to 2008. He lost the 2009 to Del Porto. Nadal had not been past the semis here but was coming off wins at the French and Wimbledon.

He was going for a career Grand Slam.

This then was the background to Federer’s semifinal against Djokovic.

Djokovic fronted Federer and went shot for shot with the great man. At two sets all and 5-5 in the final set Djokovic finally broke Federer and served for the match.

In the tenth game Djokovic had saved two match points and, as he said after his victory: “I just closed my eyes and kept hitting the forehand. I got lucky.”

Luck had very little to do with Novak’s victory. He was the better man on the day and Federer was the man lucky to have stayed so long in the match.

This was not going to be everyone’s dream final but Djokovic was a worthy opponent. Would he have enough in reserve? Had he already played his final against Federer?

Nadal came out like a boxer, skipping and shadow boxing. Djokovic was subdued but steely. One had energy to burn, the other careful, lest he splutter and smoke.

Djokovic’s parents were in the stands sporting T-shirts with their son’s picture. But the picture was stony faced and not smiling.

Nadal imposed himself on the match by breaking Djokovic in the first game. He consolidated by holding his serve for 2-0. The pivotal moment in this opening set was 30-30 and Djokovic striving to establish a break point.

He could not. Nadal is like the waves that keep pounding away at stony cliffs.

Djokovic was always behind in this first set and his frustration boiled over at the end of the fifth game. He pounded his racket repeatedly into the court and mangled it beyond recognition. This was one of the few victories he had on the night.

Nadal can rally till the cows come home and Djokovic looked like a tinman, in need of oiling, early in these opening encounters.

Nadal was content to sit on his break and only exerted himself when serving. Djokovic made 12 unforced errors to Nadal’s 7 and the first set went to Nadal 6-4.

Djokovic held his serve in the opening game of the second set. Nadal was only serving at 58 % first serves but his ground strokes were heavy and carried an indomitable message with every grunt.

Djokovic hit a superb running forehand cross court and showed he had the skill. Nadal raised a quizzical eyebrow at this brilliance and redoubled his focus. Nadal turns defence into attack quicker than any other player.

He retrieves like a golden spaniel and then suddenly unleashes like a snarling Alsatian.

Nadal’s serve had Djokovic further behind the baseline than in his match with Federer. Nadal is inexorable and drives you back inch by inch till there is no more room to backpedal.

Back to the wall is what Nadal drives you to.

Djokovic lifted and became more aggressive just as Nadal relaxed for an instant. Djokovic broke in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead and consolidated to 4-2. He served in the seventh game looking to go 5-2. He had Nadal at 40-30 and failed to put him away. Djokovic saved two break points but the third was one too many and Nadal had restored parity.

One felt now that Djokovic may not have the reserves to fight back again.

Nadal held serve for 4-4 and once again Djokovic was serving to establish a lead. This ninth game would settle the match. Novak is a lucky man and the rain delay gave him a chance to recover. After a two hour break Djokovic started quicker and had the set 7-5.

Nadal was not going to be denied. He broke early, and in a repeat of the first, always had something in reserve to take it 6-4

Djokovic was hanging on by the skin of a Sremska sausage. Every service game was a marathon: Djokovic in full flight, with a running forehand hit with both feet off the ground as he took the ball on the rise; Nadal with his torturous top-spun forehand continually kissing the lines.

Nadal must have been the original Wichita Linesman.

In the end this was more a battle of wills than skills. Both players were playing a powerful brand of modern tennis that was ages removed from the wooden racquet.

The first point of the deciding fourth set saw Nadal hit a lob and Novak let it go only to see it just land in. Djokovic kept pounding his shots but Nadal had a reply more often than not. 6-2 to Nadal and he could afford to buy 5th Avenue. He had the full set of Slams now.

The two players embraced. Novak in exhaustion and Nadal in respect.

These three players, Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, are tremendous ambassadors for the game. This is a golden age for men’s tennis and these three have won 25 Slams between them.

Djokovic proved today that he belongs with the other two.

Both these players are under 25 and the scary thing is that they will improve. Federer is approaching 30 and will need to get on his bike if he is going to keep pace.

Nadal, on the other hand, could cycle up the Alps and not be breathing heavy.

For Djokovic, it was a case of the sausage having too much pork and not enough beef!