Novak Djokovic produced an impeccable performance to beat Juan Martin del Potro in the 2018 US Open final and claim his 14th Grand Slam title.
The 31-year-old Serb won 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to earn his third triumph in New York at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic is the greatest defender this sport has ever seen – Blockovic, more like – and he was playing in conditions that might have been designed specifically for him.
The US Open’s organisers redesigned the courts this year, replacing the asphalt under the rubberised coating with a slower concrete surface, and adding extra sand to the blue paint on top. The result is to take a little extra zip off each shot – the same zip that might have given del Potro’s piledrivers a chance of bypassing the Djokovic defensive wall.
Argentine third seed Del Potro, 29, was playing his first Grand Slam final since winning the 2009 US Open, having almost quit the game in 2015 because of multiple wrist injures.
Del Potro brought all his renowned artillery to this showdown. But his best efforts simply bounced off Novak Djokovic’s defensive shield.
Djokovic addresses the crowd before he accepts the US Open trophy from four-time champion John McEnroe. He’s asked to whom he attributes his turnaround since the start of the summer.
“To the support of loved ones: my kids, my wife, my team of people that has been there with me through difficult times as well,” Djokovic says. “When I had the surgery of elbow earlier this year, I could truly understand waht Juan Martin was going through. Difficult times, but you learn from adversary and when you’re down. I try to take the best out of myself in those moments.”
Djokovic then congratulates Del Potro for what he’s done to come back, before lifting the trophy and accepting check for the princely sum of $3.8m.
Novak Djokovic with a third US Open title to go with the Wimbledon crown he secured in July 2018 he has matched American Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slam titles and there is little doubt that the 31-year-old is one of the sport's greats.
Only great rivals Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (17) have won more.
Djokovic addresses the crowd before he accepts the US Open trophy from four-time champion John McEnroe. He’s asked to whom he attributes his turnaround since the start of the summer.
“To the support of loved ones: my kids, my wife, my team of people that has been there with me through difficult times as well,” Djokovic says. “When I had the surgery of elbow earlier this year, I could truly understand waht Juan Martin was going through. Difficult times, but you learn from adversary and when you’re down. I try to take the best out of myself in those moments.”
Djokovic then congratulates Del Potro for what he’s done to come back, before lifting the trophy and accepting check for the princely sum of $3.8m.
Novak Djokovic with a third US Open title to go with the Wimbledon crown he secured in July 2018 he has matched American Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slam titles and there is little doubt that the 31-year-old is one of the sport's greats.
Only great rivals Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (17) have won more.
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