TENNIS

Nadal claims second US Open title

Spaniard defeats world number one Novak Djokovic, in four sets to claim 13th grand slam title Last Modified: 10 Sep 2013 02:12

Nadal has won 60 and lost three matches this season [AP]

Rafael Nadal claimed his second US Open title and 13th Grand Slam crown when he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic in four sets in a lung-busting final. Nadal, 27, added the 2013 trophy to his 2010 triumph, when he completed a career Grand Slam, and capped a year that has seen him claim 10 titles and stretch his season record to 60 wins and just three losses. Monday's win, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, also earned him a total of $3.6 million, which takes his career earnings through the $60 million mark, and also edged him closer to Roger Federer's record of 17 majors and put him one behind Pete Sampras. In the pair's record-setting 37th meeting, world number two Nadal, who only returned to the tour in February following a seven-month injury layoff, took his lead over Djokovic to 22-15 as he added the US Open crown to the eighth French Open he claimed in June. "It's very emotional. All my team knows what this means to me," said Nadal, who now has 60 career titles and only returned to the sport in February after a seven-month injury absence. "Novak always brings my game to the limit. He is an amazing player. He will go down as one of the greatest in the sport." For Djokovic, playing in a fourth successive final in New York, it was a devastating defeat in a year which started with a fourth Australian Open title but was followed by a semi-final loss at the French Open to Nadal and a Wimbledon final mauling by Andy Murray. Djokovic said: "I would have loved to win. But it was obvious that in the important moments he played better tennis, and that's why he deserved to win. I congratulate him, and I move on." "I had my momentum from midway second set to the end of the third where I was supposed to use the opportunities that were presented to me, and I didn't do it. I didn't deserve to win."