Rafael Nadal wins US Open 2019 to make it his 19th Career Grand Slam Title 

US Open defending champions, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka failed to retain the trophy they won a year ago. Shoulder injury made the world number one to retire in the fourth round while Osaka lost to Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. This was the first time since 2012 in Men’s Singles that at least two former Grand Slam winners didn’t make it to the semifinals. 

This year edition of the US Open saw Daniil Medvedev become the second Russian tennis player in history (after Marat Safin) to reach US Open final and a Grand Slam final in Men’s Singles. 

Rafael Nadal has now won his fourth US Open Grand Slam title, making it 19 in total. The Spanish superstar won against Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinal and Matteo Berrettini in the semifinal to make a final with Medvedev.  World number 2, Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev in five thrilling sets that lasted for 4 hours 51 minutes 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to clinch the trophy he won last in 2017. Rafael had so much respect for the Russian after the final – Nadal: “Daniil created this moment too.” This was the longest Grand Slam final Nadal has ever won and this leaves him with just one shy of Roger Federer’s 20 Major titles. 

Nadal Performance in 2019

No doubt Rafael was on another level this year. The 33 years old tennis superstar made it to 3 Grand Slam finals this year and it’s incredible how he managed to win two (French Open and US Open) out of the three Slam tournaments. This is the fifth time Nadal has won more than one major in a season: He won two in 2008, three in 2010, two in 2013, two in 2017 and two again this year. Roger Federer defeated Nadal in the semifinal at Wimbledon to prevent the Spaniard from making it 4/4 Grand Slam finals in 2019 and as a matter of fact, this is the only loss he’s had in 28 matches. Nadal, tennis legend also won the Canadian Open (Rogers Cup) and Italian Open, overcoming Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic respectively in both finals. He also got to the semifinal of Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, Monte-Carlo Masters and Indian Wells Masters this year. With these statistics and results, it’s fair to say the four times US Open champion had a better 2019 than any other tennis player. 

Rafael Nadal Grand Slam Titles   

Nadal first Grand Slam title came in 2005 when he defeated Mariano Puerta in the final to clinch his first-ever French Open trophy. Since then, he has added eighteen more to his name – Nadal now has one Australian Open (2009), two Wimbledons (2008 and 2010), four US Opens (2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019) and 12 French Opens (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019).  The Spaniard has only Roger Federer in front of him with 20 Grand Slams. The last time Nadal was one behind Federer was over 15 years ago when the Swiss tennis star had one major and the Spaniard had none. Rafael Nadal has become the first man in the Open Era to win five Grand Slam titles after turning 30 and also the second-oldest man in the Open Era to win the US Open.