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Veteran Nadal takes 19th Grand Slam title in New York Open

By RFI
Sports News Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
SEP 9, 2019 LISTEN
Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

At 33 years-young, the Spanish champion Rafael Nadal showed the crowd in New York on Sunday a thing or two. He beat Russia's Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4.

Packing the court with action at the weekend, Rafael Nadal won his fourth US Mens' Open at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. For the second time this year he ousted the fifth seed Russian Daniil Medvedev. The first time was in Montreal, Canada.

Winning and chasing records
He's hot on the heels now of Swiss rival Roger Federer's all-time men's record of 20 Grand Slam triumphs.

Coming out on top also put him in the next-to position in terms of age. He's the second-oldest New York champion since the Opens began, after Ken Rosewall in 1970 who was 35.

Nadal has won four out of five times at the US Open. Previous wins were in 2010, 2013 and 2017.

Never spent
After his victory, won after almost five hours on court, the New York Open paid a tribute to him with a special video which moved the player to tears.

He must have felt moved also by the top prize of more than three and half million dollars.

It's Nadal's second Grand Slam trophy this year after taking the French Open at Roland Garros in June for the 12th time.

Champion spirit
In the Womens' Open final on Saturday, chasing her 24th Grand Slam title, US court-star Serena Williams, five years senior to Nadal, gave 19 year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu her first major victory in two sets, 6-3, 7-5.

At 38, Williams went back into competition tennis after the birth of her child two years ago.

Praising the woman who defeated her, Serena said, "Bianca played superbly, she put huge pressure on my serves. But I could have done a lot better," and she added, Serena wasn't there today. I have to find a way to get her back in a Grand Slam final."

Since 2010, Serena Williams has won the US Open three times, in row, 2012, 2013, 2014.

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