Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson will be going head-to-head for the fifth time in their careers when they battle for the U.S. Open title on Sunday.
All four of their previous encounters have gone Nadal’s way, and he is 3-0 against Anderson on hard courts. The Spaniard is a commanding 9-1 in total sets, dropping only one in a 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-2 victory at the Paris Masters in 2015. Their only Grand Slam showdown came at the 2015 Australian Open, where Nadal cruised 7-5, 6-1, 6-4. A similarly straightforward affair was the result when the two veterans most recently collided on the red clay of Barcelona this spring, with the current world No. 1 getting the job done 6-3, 6-4.
Nadal and Anderson also faced each other way back at the 1998 Under 12 Junior Masters in Stuttgart, Germany. Prior to their Barcelona contest, Anderson’s wife posted this gem on Twitter.
Wouldn't be an #Anderson – #Nadal matchup if we didn't pass around the cutest photo of all time. Looking forward to the @bcnopenbs today! 🤗 pic.twitter.com/h8zLjaYhK3
— Kelsey Anderson (@KelseyOAnderson) April 27, 2017
Almost 20 years later, Nadal is still going strong at 31 years old. In fact, that is an understatement. He is turning in one of his best-ever seasons, with three major final appearances–including this one–and a 10th title at the French Open. Nadal is well on his way to the year-end No. 1 ranking especially if he triumphs on Sunday. Although the 15-time slam champion predictably cooled off after leaving Roland Garros, he is back on track this fortnight with mostly routine defeats of Dusan Lajovic, Taro Daniel, Leonardo Mayer, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Andrey Rublev, and Juan Martin Del Potro.
Anderson has also avoided any five-set drama while taking out J.C. Aragone, Ernests Gulbis, Borna Coric, Paolo Lorenzi, Sam Querrey, and Pablo Carreno Busta. The 32nd-ranked South African did not lose serve a single time through three rounds before getting broken twice by Lorenzi, once by Querrey, and twice by Carreno Busta. This is Anderson’s first-ever appearance in a major final and he had never previously advanced to a semifinal.
“He’s a huge player with an unbelievable serve,” Nadal said of his upcoming adversary. “He had some injuries, so he’s a big example for the kids and for the rest of the tour; he was able to be back and play his best tennis now. I’m happy for him, because I’ve known him since we were 12 years old. It’s great to see him in the final of one of the most important tournaments of the year.”
“Nadal is one of the greatest competitors in sports, period,” Anderson commented. “He’s an amazing fighter. He really controls the court well. I really need to be dominant and control proceedings as much as possible because if you let him do it, it’s very difficult.”
Nobody this fortnight has been able to produce a potent enough combination of offense and consistency to trouble Nadal for more than a set. Anderson has the kind of game that can do it, but he too has never been able to accomplish the feat. It is an especially difficult task, of course, in a Grand Slam championship match.
Nadal, who has been in this situation on 22 previous occasions, should have slam title No. 16 coming his way.
Pick: Nadal in 3
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Rafa a clay court specialist has more USO titles than Novak who is a HC specialist 🙂
However Novak lost 5 USO fianls which is a lot considering his HC talent and skills..2 to Rafa, 1 to Fed, 1 to Murray, 1 to Stan
Why must we refer to any of the Big 3 as specialists? They all have been to many finals of all four slams! If Djokovic is a “hardcourt specialist”, then I’m a Monkey’s uncle! Same with calling Rafa a clay specialist- it’s just insanely untrue!
I honestly feel with this win and 16 slams, Rafa has clearly put himself much ahead of Novak..just last year everyone was saying Novak will easily catch Rafas 14 when he was at 12…and its matter of time..How times change…
Novak will come back strong..but 4 more slams ..am not sure..and Rafa is not done yet.
I desperately want Rafa to win Australian Open next year and be the only double career slam holder..just 2 more asks of Rafa I have..year end No 1 this year and AO 18 trophy..
They are both very much in reach! 🙂
Congrats to Rafa for winning Grand Slam #16. He dominated the match from start to end. He didn’t even face a break point in the whole entire match! Congrats to Sloane who only lost three games in the whole match! It was interesting that there were four different woman who won the slams this year. Maybe because of Serena? However, in the men’s side, the four slams went to Nadal and Federer. In other news, Gasquet is playing in a challenger! The last time he played in a challenger was in 2010, and that was right after he was banned from tennis for two months. He is probably playing in a challenger to regain his confidence from a first round loss.
I know right I saw that. Also at a challenger last week the seventeen year old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime lost one game to Taro Daniel, the guy who took a set off Nadal somehow. And Auger-Aliassime went on to win his second challenger title. He and Shapovalov are gonna be insane
It’s barely 2 hours and these guys are at it already
http://metro.co.uk/2017/09/11/jim-courier-rafael-nadal-can-overtake-roger-federer-as-the-goat-after-us-open-triumph-6917435/
1 more joined the bandwagon.
https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sports/mats-point-hungry-nadal-likely-surpass-federer-title-010140192–ten.html
On the subject I did read an interesting stat the other day. Since Rafa won his first slam he and Roger had both won 15 – well – Rafa has now won 16 since then. The total will depend on who can be healthier, I guess. And whether someone can step up and provide competition at the majors.
I’d really, really love to see Rafa finally win the AO one more time too. Darn it, AO owes him one! He’s played so well there over the years and been SO unlucky there.
That said, the GOAT debate does not interest me. Rafa and Fed are both legends, renowned for their dedication and excellence, and their names will be forever linked. Works for me.
Mats had a good point about none of these other players being able to hurt Rafa on a slow hard court. It makes sense! Rafa is just like a bulldozer where you have to be able to hit through him to beat him. If it’s a slow hard court, he’s going to crush you. It’s really not surprising to me that Federer won the AO on that super-fast hardcourt, and Rafa won the US Open on a comparatively slow hardcourt. Personally, I kind of like the idea of having one of the hardcourt majors be slow, and the other be fast. It’s way more interesting than having them all homogenized like it was for years…
Usually AO has been slower than USO
This time they significantly increased speed of AO, I am not sure how slower than the earlier years did USO play
I think Rafa has played equally well on both AO and USO, 4 finals. I still feel his game is more suited to AO rebound ace courts
AO no longer use the rebound ace
Yes, they moved to different surface. But AO courts seem to Nadal as much as USO.
Just saw the match. Congrats to Rafa and his fans on a well-deserved USO title. Rafa played an absolutely fantastic match; didn’t give Anderson even a look in. I was wrong about Nadal: at the start of the year, and even a month ago, I didn’t think he’d win another slam off clay. Well done.
Thanks Joe for the congrats!…Guess what??me too didn’t dare to dream much…but Thank God!i think with this win,Rafa already killed some of his demon of the last 2 years especially outside of clay…
Rafa delivered on my birthday – today, 11th September. I am sooooooo happy. I knew Rafa’s troubles were down to his injuries even though some people thought he was finished.
Vamos Rafa!
HB Nadline… Sept 11 of all dates
Congrats to Rafa for his 16th, nice to see him healthy.
One has to feel for Anderson though cause he’s such a nice guy too.. hope he can win a SLAM on day too. (but not against Rafa :))
Last night i thought that R. Nadal won the US OPEN title i.e 16 Slams, but when i woke up this morning i realized that it was just a dream and the match hasn’t been played.
So what time does the final match start?
And who do you think will win it?
hahaha!…very funny Stanley!!
Mira,
I wished you and R. Nadal the best(in WTA page) when he lost Australian Open, Acapulco etc, but now i regret it lol! I am a little jealous, R. Nadal is balling BIG time and someone needs to stop him b4 it’s too late, ASAP.
I miss Novak, A. Murray, Wawrinka etc and if Rafito is not stopped now he could steal all our trophies and that’s not good 4 tennis don’ you think?
Please wish someone else the best just as i did 4 Rafa ok, i know it might be hard for you but please do it, remember i did the same 4 U.
#Paybacktime
Wishing Thiem and Alex Zverev and Shapolova the best to snatch everything that will come Rogers way 🙂
I wish the same, cos there are many Roger’s in this world.
There is just one RF(R. Federer) and he is THE best tennis player and the best player this year(this might change because the year ain’t over but he is still the best).
You can’t edit or correct your comment again lol! You said Roger not RF, so thanks.
Congrats on Rafito! I heard he has an injury and might not play in 2018 and the rest of the year.
I hope recovers soon cos R. Federer needs 2 crush someone again.
#4