Nadal Wins the U.S. Open

Coming into this year’s tennis season, sports writers and commentators were contemplating career obituaries for Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, rather than predicting that they would sweep the season’s Grand Slams.

Nadal’s 2016 results were a dour read: loses the first round at the Australian Open; withdraws from the French Open where he had won nine titles with a wrist injury before the third round; misses Wimbledon due to a bum wrist; fails to win a medal at the Rio Olympics; fourth round loss at the U.S.

Nadal and Federer won every Grand Slam tournament in 2006, 2007, and 2010.

Having won his 10th French Open in May, Nadal now owns 16 Grand Slam singles titles, two more than Pete Sampras’ 14, and three behind Federer’s record of 19.

Sure, Nadal’s still chasing Federer in the title count.

And Federer’s own 2017 revival he defeated Nadal in five sets in the Australian Open final, and won a eighth Wimbledon won’t make Nadal’s quest to catch him any easier.

Nadal and Federer were on a collision course to meet at this year’s U.S.

Anderson needed two lengthy games early in the first set to hold serve: Nadal finally broke him to go up 4-3, then cruised from there to close out the opening set.

While serving out the match at 5-4 in the third, a couple of knucklehead fans screamed Nadal’s name before his first two serves of the game and Nadal seemed a tad distracted before the crowd of 25,755 finally complied with the umpire’s request to be quiet.

Not too long ago, many fans doubted we would witness Nadal, and his nemesis Federer, soaking in such celebrations after winning major championships.