2010 U.S. Open: Rafael Nadal feasts on the championship trophy
After submissively waiting for a chance to get his hands on a U.S. Open championship trophy in the year 2010, Nadal finally got to gnaw on his rightfully earned prize. Apart from being the youngest player in the history of the open era to have achieved a
career grand slam, Nadal triumphed through the tournament entirely based upon straight set wins. The professional however, dropped a set after losing a tie-breaker to Djokovic in the championship final.
Rafa defeated Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili in the first round of the Men’s singles draw. The Russian was eliminated after losing 7-6, 7-6 and 6-3 to Nadal. Cruising through to the second round, the Spaniard got rid of Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin after thrashing
him 6-2, 7-6 and 7-6, three sets in a row.
Proceeding further, Frenchman Gilles Simon went up against Nadal in the third round match played between the two. Proving incapable of levelling himself with the professional, Simon lost a disappointing 4-6, 4-6, 2-6 to Rafa.
Seeded 23 at the tournament, Spain’s Feliciano Lopez faced defeat at the hands of his fellow country-man in the fourth round of the draw. Nadal crushed Lopez three sets in a row, beating him 6-3, 6-4 and 6-4 verily.
Making it through qualifying rounds seemed to have been a piece of cake for Nadal. Evidently, that actually was the case. Rafa was opposed by yet another Spaniard for the second time in a row at the quarter-finals of the 2010 U.S. Open.
The brand ambassador for Calvin Klein, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco was sent home after losing 5-7, 3-6 and 4-6 to companion Rafael Nadal. Even though Verdasco has managed to make it past Nadal on various occasions, it seems as though modelling might be a better
option for the Spanish hunk.
Battling it out with Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny defeated the Swiss man in a five set quarter-final to make a place for himself in the semi-finals of the 2010 U.S. Open. After losing the first set 3-6, Youzhny took the second
set 7 games to 6.
Wawrinka managed to bag the second set based on a 6-3 win. However, it was all downhill for the professional, as Youzhny took the remaining two sets 6-3 and 6-3 to make it through. The Russian was made to face Nadal in the semi-finals of the championship.
As easy as 1-2-3, Rafa got through with Youzhny in a crisp three-set match. Mikhail’s reign was ended right after he was sent packing home after being defeated 6-2, 6-3 and 6-4 in the semis.
Alongside, it seemed as though Serbia’s Novak Djokovic pulled a rabbit out of the hat, as he made the world gasp at coming out victorious against the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer in the semi-final match played between the two.
Djoko and Federer went nip and tuck, as Federer took the first set 7-5, right after which Nole took the second set 6-1. Furthermore, Federer took the third set 7-5 to take the lead. However, it wasn’t long before Djokovic took the third set 6-2.
Federer’s dream of bagging twenty grand slams was temporarily crushed as Nole took the deciding fifth set seven games to five.
Seeded no. 3 at the tournament, Djokovic proceeded to play the 2010 U.S. Open final against the World no. 1, Rafael Nadal. After a delay in the match caused by a downpour in New York, the professionals waited it out until they were finally made to face each
other.
Nadal, being the better professional in every aspect took the first set 6-4. Nole however, managed to take the second set 7-6 right after winning a tie-breaker. Nevertheless, that seemed to have been all the Serb had to offer, as Rafa took the remaining
two sets 6-4 and 6-2 to lift the championship trophy.
However, as ecstatic as the professional seemed to have been, Nadal turned out to be rather modest as he praised Federer by stating; “The titles say he's much better than me, so that's true at the moment. I think it will be true all my life.”
Nevertheless, taking Nadal’s current form and achievements into consideration, the statement will probably prove senseless in the years to come.
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