US Open: Rafael Nadal outlasts Novak Djokovic to win title

Vamos Rafa!

It was expected to be a close battle and every bit of it indeed was. World number 2 Rafael Nadal though showed that this time, he was in no mood to give up as he beat world number 1 Novak Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to win his second US Open title and 13th Grand Slam.

All images courtesy AFP and AP.

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 lay-off, took his lead over Djokovic to 22-15 as he added the US Open crown to the eighth French Open he claimed in June.

This win though earns Nadal a total of $3.6 million, taking his career earnings through the $60 million mark.

"It's very emotional. All my team knows what this means to me," said Nadal after the match.

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 lost 11 of the last 13 games with his challenge fatally undermined by 53 unforced errors to Nadal's 20.