2009 AO comes close, but yeah this is probably the best Nadal ever played on hard courts. This was the peak of his fitness and more importantly, his serve.
Nadal's best year on hard was 2013. It was pretty impossible for his opponents to get a chance. He could've keep the level in 2014 if it wasn't for the injuries once again..
Yeah, Nadal was awesome on hard in AO 2009, US Open 2010 and throughout 2013, but I think he peaked in this tournament. I don't think we've ever seen at least his hard-court game firing so tremendously on all cylinders as we saw in the US Open 2010, although his game throughout the summer hard-court swing in 2013 comes very close. At the 2010 US Open, he was lightning fast, his serve was unusually potent and pinpoint, giving him a rare number of cheap/free points even against the world's best returners such as Djokovic, his body and mind were almost robotic in their impregnable strength, and his baseline rallying was suffocatingly deep and strong, underpinned by a ferocious mix of booming, slinging topspin and searing flat shots off both wings, with creative use of low, sliding sliced backhands for variety ... It's one of tennis' tragedies that injuries so often cut short the golden periods of Rafa's play (as in 2009 after his amazing 2008 season, as after the 2010 US Open when he softened his serve to mitigate a shoulder injury, as in 2012 after dominating the clay spring, 2014 after his incredible 2013 ...), so that he never remained for very long at the height of his powers (as Fed was able to do from 2004-2009 and Nole was from 2011 to, well, the present).
i don't know if it's the camera quality but i feel like this match is not on the same level of what we see today. Djokovic and Nadal were hitting so hard in this final it's crazy.
@@lammie001 Nadal technique in later years is more compact and look more aesthetic but less powerful. In their older years less energy to spend they have to do counterpunching but that's enough to win against next-genners. 2010 Nadal and 2011 Djokovic hit so hard it's like different species from their 2022 and 2023 version. I have preference for 2010 Nadal technique because it looks great and so powerful and dominant, sure it may not be pretty like 2022 Nadal technique but it still looks good in its own way.
Rafa in 2018-2020 was not moving as well as in his prime, but the power of his blows seemed to be heavier. Did they reduce the amount of spin in order to change to a more aggressive style?
US Open 2010 Nadal was at his physical zenith... awesome footspeed, incredible serve and devastating groundstrokes were in display... he could've been the greatest ever without a question if injuries didn't blocked his way... but he'll always be in the contest of being GOAT achieving so much greatness inspite of being injured.. 👑
Well the kind of style Nadal played with he was always bound to have injuries. If he wouldn't have adopted that style then he wouldn't have been that legend so injuries isn't an excuse.
it's not an excuse it's a fact.. I agree that his style of play is the main reason of his injuries but you gotta consider his career threatening ankle disorder is not his doing which he had back in 2005.. he had to use different type of shoes to compensate that problem.. also that makes his knees more injury prone.. hard to believe? read his book.
Ruchir Mundhra What nonsense are you saying? An individual's "style of play" is just his/her game. There are player whose game is as physical as that of Nadal's, but didn't come close to the level of sucess Nadal have achieved. And, even to this day, Nadal is still playing pretty solid tennis at age 31.
LEdger Poppunk Some of the greatest tennis matches ever for sure! Two of history’s best, both at their peak, battling again and again with an undulating flow of supremacy that first favoured one, then the other, as their energies and fortunes waxed and waned, and they continually evolved each other, with almost all matches being close and epic.
@@aranyaism but Nadal still beat prime Djokovic in 2013 US Open. And Nadal serve better in 2010 US open. Highly doubt that this Nadal would lose to anyone with that serve and backed up with the best forehand backhand baseline combo.
@@sumnahlennon4516 yes but Nadal was able to do it against Djokovic at US Open 2013. Novak never beat peak Nadal at RG semifinal or final. Nadal beating 2010 Djokovic at US open was impressive because he beat Federer and was having an excellent North America swing (like Medvedev was in 2019 US Open).
Best version of Nadal. His serve and his backhand has never been better. Such a shame he got injured or he would've won more Wimbledon and Hard court Slams.
He won 4 US Open titles. He won 2 Australian open titles He won 2 won Wimbledon titles He won 14 French open titles. He was world ranking no 2 for 370 weeks. He was world ranking no 1 for 209 weeks. He won 92 ATP titles in total. 63 titles on clay 25 titles on hard 4 Titles on grass.
This is unreal and pure tennis with hitting skills at its best from both. I miss thiz nadal so much with phenomenal hitting power and remarkable court coverage
Regarding Nadal's game, very little has changed over the course of his career. And as amazing as Nadal has been for the past two seasons (2017-2019), he was even better during the earlier years of his career (especially 2008-2013). The doubters and naysayers were just wrong, by claiming Nadal will not have a longevous and prosperous career, namely because of his style of play (which often gets him injured).
Personally, I have never seen Rafael Nadal play a better hard-court tournament than the US Open 2010, and I'm considering his AO 2009 victory, which many believe was his best performance on hardcourts. No, it's THIS one right here. In the entire tournament, Nadal never looked vulnerable. Excellent serve, devastating backhand, and a powerful forehand that just didn't know how to make mistakes. I remember watching the entire 5-hour match of Nadal vs Verdasco of AO 2009, and frankly, Nadal could have lost that match. I was literally telling myself, here we go again. Rafa going out in yet another semis of a hard-court Grandslam.
Agree entirely. Not to take any thing from Nadal, but watching ao09 final it felt like federer played better tennis yet somehow Nadal came on top. It’s just strange, nadal 2ao and 3-1 vs fed in ao, but has 3 less titles
Nadal is a monster on hard court despite what ppl make it seem. He won 4 USO and 2 AO and made many other finals on top of that. It's a pity he had to face Novak who is the best hard court player in history + Fed and Murray who are hard court specialists. The most magical run def was 2022 AO, he looked like he could lose any match yet somehow won all 7 of them. And the most solid were here 2010 USO and 2017 USO, he was a beast in these and no one could have stopped him.
Do u even know what defensive game is? Both these guys are playing from the baseline and not coming to the net. Not trying to finish the point in less than 5 shots. That's what defensive game is.
nirupam89 hahahahah you really need a brain transplant if you actually believe that, Nadal and Djokovic are both agressive baseliners dummy, how long have you been watching tennis anyway? Yesterday maybe?
No dumbasses defensive style is running around keeping the ball in play to allow opponents to make mistakes, offensive is hitting with power and finishes the points off faster, volley is going to the net, which has certainly died off
@@russelstephan6342 who was better? Name me one player that had his speed, his ground strokes, a 140 mph serve, and won 3 slams on 3 different surfaces in the same year.
@@taylorpack7705 nadal Maybe but you will probably say that is baby nadal when he is not he started wining slams at 2005 and he was main rival of roger from 2005 to 2010.
This match was one of Nadal's best performance on court, wow! See how young feet, young hands n young spirit could flew higher n highest? Amazing! Win more n more! Love it! 💝
Rafa was a beast in these two weeks. His backhand and serve during this tournament were the best they ever were imo. He was bludgeoning his backhand and serve. If he'd play like that all the time, he'd win a lot more.
Gherbi Hicham Agreed. 2017 clay season Rafa beats this one and 2012 RG Rafa for best I’ve ever seen him play. You could play to that backhand a thousand times and he’d hit all of them back, and he’d probably put the ball away for a winner too.
he murdered nadal in 2011. nadal gave it everything. novaks defense was just better. 2010 novak hasnt figured nadal out, defense isnt the same. just watch both highlights. the quality of shots from both nadal and novak was superior in 2011. yet novak was still better. "novak was my problem in 2011" nadal.
even at minimum mentally Nadal was definitely stronger in 2010 than 2011, I think he served better too. Wouldn't pick 2010 as Nadal's peak though, probably 2009 AO
Derek Woods Other than 2008/2012/2017 French Open Nadal's Us Open 2010 was the best grand slam in his career in terms form, he was basically the best version of himself, he regularly hit above 130 mph serves which never happened before in his career and was hitting the forehand the same as you see him on clay. Djokovic was obviously better in 2011 than this match but I would still pick Nadal to win in this form, Nadal basically figured out Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open, Djokovic only won one grand slam match since then (Nadal won four), and it was in 2015; aka the worst year in Nadal's career, when Nadal basically lost to everybody.
Probably the best match between these two, together with their 2013 US open. And probably the best player ever, Nadal in his prime. Quality tennis, speed and physical and mental power, unstopable.
titanic battles--Both were great at that time. Rafa just amazing with deep, hard shots, moving from defense to offense on a dime. Djokovic was not a slouch. He was playing damned well and would have beaten almost anyone else.
@@aleksamilosevic8792 Maybe but 2010 was Nadal's peak level all around off clay..Federer had more success vs Nadal off clay later on because Nadal was a shell of himself ie speed + quickness..
Bring old nadal, i want him to perform well and win grand slams on hardcourt and grass. Best wishes from India, hope we see best nadal in upcoming year.
Are you suggesting he hasn't won grand slams on grass and hard courts? But the end of the 2010 season (same year this US Open final match featured in the video took place) Nadal had even won more GS titles than Djokovic on all surfaces. In fact, he had already recorded his 2 wimbledon titles by then. Djokovic had none.
@@TheTmat007 yeah but now he has 5 Wimbkedon titles,3 of them beating Federer in final and the other too beating Nadal in semi final and final,so doesn't matter,facts
@@cosminapisoi Nadal, today, is still performing very good. The same is also true in regards to Federer and Djokovic. But this isn't the Nadal of 2008-2013. In fact, even Federer stated that part of the reason for his better success against Nadal (during the more recent years of the rivalry) is because Nadal isn't performing quite like he did back then. Also, Djokovic never faced a young Federer on grass. To me, those facts matter. It reveals Djokovic has had an easier path towards his bigger or greater achievements than did Nadal. A young Nadal has had to battle his rivals across all 3 surfaces, while they were young.
The level of power in Nadal groundstrokes here was frightening. Especially on that wicked forehand, so much venom and pace Djokovic was clutching at thin air so many times.
Lol good one. It would've taken more than that flat forehand to best Nadal. In case you haven't realized but Federer tends to leave with his asshole torn apart after facing Nadal.
2013 US open finalist Nadal willl give this 2010 Nadal a good game, he was using a heavier racquet producing more top spins on his forehand and landing them closer to the baseline making it difficult for his opponents.
Great video! I thought I was watching a live broadcast :-) Thar was an unbelieveable performance by Rafa! I think one of his best ever - on all surfaces! I saw the live broadcast. I knew Rafa was going to win his first U.S. Open that year. He and Novak are always a great matchup.
Rafa was definitely undefeatable on this day. Much better serve and play than any other match from Rafa.. I want this diehard fighter Rafael Nadal back, to win more grandslam titles..King of clay forever..
People wonder why Nadal changed his serve after showing that he could serve up to 135 mph. There are 2 reasons. The first was that he ended up getting tendinitis in his shoulder from the service motion change towards the end of the year in 2010. The second was that he ended up missing a lot of first serves. The last tournament where he tried to serve hard was Indian Wells 2011. In that final against Djokovic, he won the first set. After that, Djokovic had no problem breaking Nadal because he missed to many first serves which is playing with fire against a good returner like Djokovic. I wished he had not changed though because Djokovic and Federer probably read his serve better than anyone so they have good success on hard and on grass courts. Ultimately I believe Nadal pulled the plug too quickly
Nadal-Djokovic rivalry is intense and thrilling to watch while Nadal-Fed rivalry is more of it and Djoko-Fed is either of it. But we're witnessing the best 3 tennis player of all time and can't help but to appreciate these guys. Been a Sampras fan, now these 3 are just way better.
if nadal had not been injured in 2011 AO , he would have had best 2011 as well and djlokovic would be have come into the scene nadal here was strong and very sure
Rafa Nadal is GOAT.From 2007 to 2013 he fought greatest tennis battles with both Federer and Djokovic.2007 Wimbledon final 2008 Wimbledon final 2009 aus open final,2010 us open final,2012 aus open final,2013 french open semifinal,2013 us open final are some greatest battles ever fought in history of tennis.
I watched this yesterday and have been thinking about it. I think Federer is unquestionably the GOAT but, seeing this match, I simply don't think he could have kept with this pace like these two. Very, very physical. I could be wrong but I don't think I've ever seen Roger play a match with this kind of sustained, elevated speed, strength, and shot-making. Amazing to watch.
Fed wAs unquestionably the GOAT. Now he’s out of the race and it’s between djodal. Nadal has more slams, Olympic gold, most titles in a single gs. But in every other aspects djokovic is ahead.
My gosh!!!! Their hitting prowess and athleticism are unbelievable. And every time Nadal hits the ball, it makes a huge sound. My God, he hits hard. It would be brutal to play against these two but especially Nadal's coz his ground strokes are punishing....!!!
@@DevenderKumar-mh6fl well he defeated federer in 2008.in wimbledon final, and that was a peak federer in good form on his best surface, and federer was unable to beat nadal at the french open despite so many attempts nadal kept destroying his there, often in straight sets. and that year plus 2009 and 2010 were peak nadal years.where he was world no 1 and also won olympic gold Nadal won four singles titles on clay, and defeated Roger Federer in three clay finals.in 2008, which added to beating federer in wimbledon final means nadal beat federer at least four times in 2008, on grass and clay. nadal won three grand slams in 2010 including beating djokovic in the US open final, despite hard court being his weakest surface and hard for him given his knee problems. So federer and djokovic were no problem for nadal.Nadal was beating djokovic and federer during those three years on a regular basis. he was like the nadal now, but much more energetic and faster around the court, being younger. if another player beat federer and djokovic, nadal had to defeat the player who defeated federer and djokovic', and if nadal beat that player -which he did-then that means nadal is playing better than djokovic and federer, and fact is in those three years, nadal was playing better than federer and djokovic which is why he was world no 1. and unlike djokovic and federer, nadal won slams on all three surfaces-he won two wimbledon titles, one us open title ,one australian open title, and five french opens by end of 2010. that is a complete player. you could argue that federer only won his single french open because nadal got knocked out in a big upset. for sure if federer had to face nadal at french open he would have lost.. but i credit federer because he had to beat soderling nadal's overcomer, and federers form on clay, only losing to the brilliance of nadal on the surface meant federer deserved one french open title.to reward his consistency at the french open. . he beat federer in both the wimbledon final and the australian open final, so nadal beat federer on grass, on hard court and on clay, and took over the world no 1 position which he held until djokovic's incredible 2011 season, where nobody could beat him. so theres no way you can devalue nadal's achievements, when he beat federer and djokovic at wimbledon,at the french, and at the US open. and in the french he was beating federer and djokovic in the same tournament. clay is the most difficult surface to dominate on, which is why the second most successful player on clay only has six french opens-borg. clay requires the most physicality, most fitness, strength, mental endurance. which is why nadals domination of the hardest surface both in the masters clay tournaments and at the french single him out as the greatest player. and now having won his twelve french open and fourth US open this year, nadal is only won grand slam behind federer's record, and nadal holds the record for the most ATP masters 1000 titles. in 2013 nadal dominated the hard court swing, he was unbeaten on the hard courts that season , climaxing in again beating djokovic in the US open final.so two of nadal's US opens involved beating djokovic in the final. nadal beat medvedev in this US open final just gone, and medvedev is almost an exact copy of djokovic. djokovic keeps losing to medvedev, and medvedev has been beating every top player on the tour. except nadal. nadal beat him in the rogers cup final, and at the US open final just gone. basically nadal beat a younger version of djokovic. beating medvedev when medvedev beat djokovic, means in effect that in beating medvedev nadal proved himself better than djokovic. that is how grand slams work. you may not face djokovic and federer because other players may knock them out, but then you have to face the player who knocked them out. and if you beat that player, then that shows you are superior in form compared to djokovic and federer. so that argument is not valid. I always acknowledge the achievements of nadal , federer and djokovic who each have their own unique achievements, their own unique records and dominations.
Devender Kumar I must correct you, thoroughly by going through the complete history of these three greats. well, nadal defeated federer in 2008.in wimbledon final, and that was a peak federer in good form on his best surface, and federer was unable to beat nadal at the french open despite so many attempts nadal kept destroying his there, often in straight sets. and that year plus 2009 and 2010 were peak nadal years.where he was world no 1 and also won olympic gold Nadal won four singles titles on clay, and defeated Roger Federer in three clay finals.in 2008, which added to beating federer in wimbledon final means nadal beat federer at least four times in 2008, on grass and clay. nadal won three grand slams in 2010 includihg beating djokovic in the US open final, despite hard court being his weakest surface and hard for him given his knee problems. So federer and djokovic were no problem for nadal. Nadal was beating djokovic and federer during those three years on a regular basis. he was like the nadal now, but much more energetic and faster around the court, being younger. if another player beat federer and djokovic, nadal had to defeat the player who defeated federer and djokovic', and if nadal beat that player -which he did-then that means nadal is playing better than djokovic and federer, and fact is in those three years, nadal was playing better than federer and djokovic which is why he was world no 1. and unlike djokovic and federer, nadal won slams on all three surfaces-he won two wimbledon titles, one us open title ,one australian open title, and five french opens by end of 2010. that is a complete player.. he beat federer in both the wimbledon final and the australian open final, so nadal beat federer on grass, on hard court and on clay, and took over the world no 1 position which he held until djokovic's incredible 2011 season, where nobody could beat him. so theres no way you can devalue nadal's achievements, when he beat federer and djokovic at wimbledon,at the french, and at the US open. and in the french he was beating federer and djokovic in the same tournament. clay is the most difficult surface to dominate on, which is why the second most successful player on clay only has six french opens-borg. and why djokovic and federer only have one french open each. clay requires the most physicality, most fitness, strength, mental endurance, most concentration, you have to generate all the power on the shots so more strength required, groundstrokes have to be more solid than on any other surface as you have to construct points like a chess match as rallies are often long, and the player with the most top spin has the advantage which is why nadals domination of the hardest surface both in the masters clay tournaments and at the french single him out as the greatest player. and now having won his twelve french open and fourth US open this year, nadal is only won grand slam behind federer's record, and nadal holds the record for the most ATP masters 1000 titles. in 2013 nadal dominated the hard court swing, he was unbeaten on the hard courts that season , climaxing in again beating djokovic in the US open final.nadal is one of only two players to have ever gone unbeaten in the hard court season-the other one being andy roddick. so two of nadal's US opens involved beating djokovic in the final. nadal beat medvedev in this US open final just gone, and medvedev is almost an exact copy of djokovic. djokovic keeps losing to medvedev, and medvedev has been beating every top player on the tour this year, except nadal. nadal beat medvedev in the rogers cup final, and at the US open final just gone. Basically nadal beat a younger version of djokovic. beating medvedev when medvedev beat djokovic, means in effect that in beating medvedev nadal proved himself better than djokovic. that is how grand slams work. you may not face djokovic and federer because other players may knock them out, but then you have to face the player who knocked them out. and if you beat that player, then that shows you are superior in form compared to djokovic and federer. so that argument is not valid. I always acknowledge the achievements of nadal , federer and djokovic who each have their own unique achievements, their own unique records and dominations. it is ungenerous in spirit to try to undermine their legacy, their achievements by making excuses for their victories. the best fans of these three great players will generously and honourably pay tribute to each of the three players unique records and achievements. there is always the GOAT debate, which involves these three players plus i would put Borg in there too, and the now underrated sampras too, borg having won both french open and wimbledon five times in a row, but retired very early at twenty six years old. that shows just how gruelling the clay season is, as borg was mentally worn out with tennis and didnt want to play anymore. sampras who was the best serve and volleyer during the netrush fast court era. but the neutral way to settle the GOAT debate is grand slams and masters 1000 titles, as the purpose of those tournaments is to find who is the best, and this stops our bias toward our favourite player clouding our judgement. so it is between federer and nadal right now, but nadal has superior head to head vs federer. nadal is only one behind federer in grand slams, but nadal holds the record for most masters 1000 titles ever-two more than djokovic in second place. djokovic is three grand slams behind nadal and four behind federer, but he has a good head to head record against nadal. and is currently two wins ahead of nadal in head to head. so djokovic has fallen behind in the GOAT race, but he can still get back in there, as before nadal won US open, djokovic had won three of the last four grand slams. djokovic has hinted though that he is nearing the end of his career, so its unlikely that he will be still playing in three-four years as injuries are now catching up with him.
Nadal actually hit really hard in this match which gave him the W. Even in the 2013 final where Nadal won, he hit way slower compared to Novak and he was constantly put under pressure. Post-2011 it always felt like Nadal was the underdog against Nole, constantly chasing after balls, always on the losing end of epic rallies. The fact he somehow still collected a few Ws against Novak shows how mentally tough he is with a never give up fighting spirit. His game tho was always slightly below Novak's level from 2011 onwards. This final was the last match Rafa actually dominated Novak (besides 2020 RG final, but that was on clay)
ashwini kumar there’s a difference between being the most successful of all time (federer) and being the goat (Nadal). Nadal has la decima, at least 2 slams on each surface, gold medal, 9-3 & 9-4 in slams vs Federer & Djokovic, etc. He’s the goat. Federer won half of his slams against Roddick, Hewitt, Gonzales, Baghdatis, etc. Most successful (quantity) yes, goat (success/quality) no.
If we’re talking about most successful I’d said both federer and nadal because they’re two totally different players, but if we’re talking about the complete player, best ever in their primes, you’re looking at him on this video, 2010 Nadal
Probably best version of Nadal on hardcourts with AO 2009 However this wasn't Djokovic's peak yet (He needed 5 sets to beat Troicki earlier in the tournament and lost to Federer and Nadal a couple of times after this USO final) Nadal 2010 vs Djokovic 2011 would be awesome tho
Djokovic would slaughter him. As soon as Djokovic found the strategy to beat Nadal then he just went into overdrive in this H2H off clay. On clay it's still advantage to Nadal because of the topspin FH.
@@GameOvais Rafa would have dismantled and crushed and eaten 2011 Novak for breakfast,you Senseless piece of trash,look at those missiles he was hitting off both wings,hear the thunderous pump on the court, douche
5 лет назад+3
Best tennis match ever seen, lucky to have Rafa in my generation ..love tennis love rafa
1. Federer is the greatest in tennis artistry! 2. Djokovic is the greatest in machine-like precision tennis! 3. Nadal is an ordinary man who did extraordinary things: a natural right-hander who excelled with his left hand; a guy with a physique that is not best for tennis who is almost always the underdog on grass and hard courts yet able to beat the likes of Federer on Wimbledon grass and Djokovic on US Open hard court relying on his great fighting heart and awesome tenacity! One of the greatest comeback players on tour and could be the greatest fighter on court who is humble in victory and gracious in defeat never smashing a racket! ❤️
At their wimbledon match, this year, Djokovic served better. He scored 15 more aces than Nadal. Yet, the match was close, and could've gone to either player. In fact, Nadal even won more games. Now, just imagine what would likely have happened, if Nadal's service game at wimbledon was as good as this US Open match.
@InsideOutBH Are you kidding? I wonder what Wimbledon match it is that you were watching. Lol. First of all, Nadal played poorly in the 1st set against Djokovic at Wimbledon. But notice how that things quickly changed after he dialed-in, in the 2nd set. And, contrary to what you stated, Nadal actually led the match as it approached the end of the 3rd. The fact that Nadal was up 3 set points in 3rd (after having won the 2nd), meant he led the match at that stage. But had Nadal converted on any of his set points, he would've been the one with the 2-1 lead, when play was suspended for the night. And he probably would've won the match in 4 sets (since he won the 4th). And even in the 5th set, the match could've gone to either player. That's how close it had been. "When was the last time Djokovic lost to Nadal in a slam after winning the 1st set?" That's easy! At their 2014 FO final, Nadal won the match after Djokovic took the 1st set. And, shortly afterwards, Nadal's form declined, until the end of the 2016 season. But, Nadal's form declined to its worse, in 2015.
@InsideOutBH Roland Garros 2014 final, Djokovic won the first set and Nadal won the next 3, but they have not faced each other so many times since then in slams, only twice. But as a Nadal fan the Wimbledon 2018 was one of the best matches I've ever seen and I had the luck to see It live. Rafa played so great but Novak was strong mentally
@@theobecquet8477 It's good to see InsideOutBH made the correction by editing his/her comment. But yes, Nadal's main problem against Novak is mental. And speaking of their 2014 FO match, did you notice that it was when Nadal went to his backhand slice that the outcome of the match change? Even the Eurosports commentators acknowledged how effective Nadal was with the slice. And we can also see the backhand slice working effectively against Djokovic, in this match. Just check out the one @ 2:57. The ball appear as though it is floating...Amazing! And I also agree with you that the 2018 Wimbledon semi-final was one of their better matches. I just wish I had the privilege of watching live like you did.
Q dos jabatos del tenis, pró q gran espectaculo d'golpes d'Nadal, és una gozada verlo jugar, hace q todos los partidos sea una emocion verlos, antes i ahora, m encanta, s un campeón espectacular, para mi the best, el mejor, CAMPEÓN!! 😘😘😘😘👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💪
Thanx to injuries and rafa getting slower! Rafa is a clay court specialist it's a big shame for djokobitch that Nadal was able to whoop his ass on hard courts as well. Djoko couldn't ever beat Nadal on clay in his prime..from 2005 to 2009 i.e..even in 2010 i think. His victories over nadal on clay after that are meaningless.
@GTS No drug can explain how Djokovic can elevate his game seemingly on demand, based on the situation. Looks ordinary in the early rounds and becomes God-like in semis and finals.
17:11 one set all and serving for the set but it's 15:30. Then Rafa comes up with 3 big serves and closes out the set. It's his serve that was the key difference in 2010. Really wish he could have kept this serve. But sadly it gave him abdominal injuries and so he had to switch back to his old serve which well, led to 2011. What a warrior though, always keeps fighting! Gotta love Rafa
These were the end days of Djokovic being just a good player and what follows in the next 4-5 months was the start of the incredible domination by him that continues to date.
He is not good player he is great player actually he was world ranking no 3 actually so he started playing great since 2008 for sure You fans are strange actually Good player can't defeat Federer for sure He must be great or best simple it is not easy to defeat Federer actually for good players
@@arunsekhar9288That's your opinion but when Rafa 2011 with worst serve could take a set off of 2011 Novak,2010 Rafa would finish him in 4 sets,2015 Novak?Not even a chance.
During those earlier years (2006-2013) Nadal played most of his shots with great depth, and Djokovic hardly had answers. Djokovic only won their h2h in 2011. That's just 1 season out of the 8 that I mentioned. But, when Nadal is hitting with such depth in addition to serving as well as he did during this match, it's very difficult to defeat him.
@@aranyaism It doesn't matter that Nadal only beat Djokovic twice outside of clay, since 2011. The fact of the matter is, on Djokovic's best surface (HC), Nadal was able to defeat him prior to and after 2011. Djokovic, on the other hand, was unable to defeat Nadal on both clay and grass, prior to 2011. And that Djokovic was not at his "peak" or "prime," is just a silly excuse. Djokovic was able to defeat Federer and other players whom he faced on clay, prior to 2011. And he also lead Nadal on HC. So, there's absolutely no excuse. Nadal was the better all around player. He was a beast. Just admit!
Best version of Nadal ive ever seen on hardcourt.
2009 AO comes close, but yeah this is probably the best Nadal ever played on hard courts. This was the peak of his fitness and more importantly, his serve.
Nadal's best year on hard was 2013. It was pretty impossible for his opponents to get a chance. He could've keep the level in 2014 if it wasn't for the injuries once again..
Yeah, Nadal was awesome on hard in AO 2009, US Open 2010 and throughout 2013, but I think he peaked in this tournament. I don't think we've ever seen at least his hard-court game firing so tremendously on all cylinders as we saw in the US Open 2010, although his game throughout the summer hard-court swing in 2013 comes very close. At the 2010 US Open, he was lightning fast, his serve was unusually potent and pinpoint, giving him a rare number of cheap/free points even against the world's best returners such as Djokovic, his body and mind were almost robotic in their impregnable strength, and his baseline rallying was suffocatingly deep and strong, underpinned by a ferocious mix of booming, slinging topspin and searing flat shots off both wings, with creative use of low, sliding sliced backhands for variety ... It's one of tennis' tragedies that injuries so often cut short the golden periods of Rafa's play (as in 2009 after his amazing 2008 season, as after the 2010 US Open when he softened his serve to mitigate a shoulder injury, as in 2012 after dominating the clay spring, 2014 after his incredible 2013 ...), so that he never remained for very long at the height of his powers (as Fed was able to do from 2004-2009 and Nole was from 2011 to, well, the present).
Great comment. Appreciated
Nadal didn't suffer any injury after the 2010 U.S. Open.
Watching this in 2023...the level is just unreal. We will miss the Big 3 matches.
i don't know if it's the camera quality but i feel like this match is not on the same level of what we see today. Djokovic and Nadal were hitting so hard in this final it's crazy.
I actually think they both look a lot better in later years. Especially nadal’s technique has changed for the better
@@lammie001 Nadal technique in later years is more compact and look more aesthetic but less powerful. In their older years less energy to spend they have to do counterpunching but that's enough to win against next-genners. 2010 Nadal and 2011 Djokovic hit so hard it's like different species from their 2022 and 2023 version. I have preference for 2010 Nadal technique because it looks great and so powerful and dominant, sure it may not be pretty like 2022 Nadal technique but it still looks good in its own way.
@@lammie001 His BH technique is better but everything else is just worse
Rafa in 2018-2020 was not moving as well as in his prime, but the power of his blows seemed to be heavier.
Did they reduce the amount of spin in order to change to a more aggressive style?
US Open 2010 Nadal was at his physical zenith... awesome footspeed, incredible serve and devastating groundstrokes were in display... he could've been the greatest ever without a question if injuries didn't blocked his way... but he'll always be in the contest of being GOAT achieving so much greatness inspite of being injured.. 👑
Fiercest Competitor fed is the goat
Well the kind of style Nadal played with he was always bound to have injuries. If he wouldn't have adopted that style then he wouldn't have been that legend so injuries isn't an excuse.
it's not an excuse it's a fact.. I agree that his style of play is the main reason of his injuries but you gotta consider his career threatening ankle disorder is not his doing which he had back in 2005.. he had to use different type of shoes to compensate that problem.. also that makes his knees more injury prone.. hard to believe? read his book.
I agree, but you gotta say that his open-stance forehand is the main reason for his knees injuries
Ruchir Mundhra
What nonsense are you saying? An individual's "style of play" is just his/her game. There are player whose game is as physical as that of Nadal's, but didn't come close to the level of sucess Nadal have achieved. And, even to this day, Nadal is still playing pretty solid tennis at age 31.
2010-2013 Novak and Rafa matches are the best ever
LEdger Poppunk no they aren't
Ertugrul Körpinar what?
LEdger Poppunk 2012 Aus Open Final?
yes they are. the golden age of men's tennis
LEdger Poppunk Some of the greatest tennis matches ever for sure! Two of history’s best, both at their peak, battling again and again with an undulating flow of supremacy that first favoured one, then the other, as their energies and fortunes waxed and waned, and they continually evolved each other, with almost all matches being close and epic.
Nadal's movements and groundstrokes were flawless in that match.
This pair at their peak produced unreal tennis.
djokovic wansnt at his peak.
Maximus3075 he was getting there
@@aranyaism but Nadal still beat prime Djokovic in 2013 US Open. And Nadal serve better in 2010 US open. Highly doubt that this Nadal would lose to anyone with that serve and backed up with the best forehand backhand baseline combo.
@@dewman7477 They've both beaten each other at their peak.
@@sumnahlennon4516 yes but Nadal was able to do it against Djokovic at US Open 2013. Novak never beat peak Nadal at RG semifinal or final. Nadal beating 2010 Djokovic at US open was impressive because he beat Federer and was having an excellent North America swing (like Medvedev was in 2019 US Open).
No human can beat Nadal at his best, what a match!
Lol
You're funny
Djokovic can
Novak can
@@waileonglum2738 he can't
Best version of Nadal. His serve and his backhand has never been better. Such a shame he got injured or he would've won more Wimbledon and Hard court Slams.
He wouldn't
He won 4 US Open titles.
He won 2 Australian open titles
He won 2 won Wimbledon titles
He won 14 French open titles.
He was world ranking no 2 for 370 weeks.
He was world ranking no 1 for 209 weeks.
He won 92 ATP titles in total.
63 titles on clay
25 titles on hard
4 Titles on grass.
He wants to repeat it in 2011 also but he had to face best form of Djoko actually
2011
Nadal problem is Djokovic only and no one else
Nadal passed over Djokovic.
Yoko has only been able to overcome Nadal when he was injured. When Nadal is healthy he practically always beats Yoko.
@@compluto4190hes injured for the whole decade? Because its been 10 years since nadal taken a single set off djokovic on hc
This is unreal and pure tennis with hitting skills at its best from both. I miss thiz nadal so much with phenomenal hitting power and remarkable court coverage
Nadal is the best in terms of mentality and Tennis is especially a mental sport... His legacy is once in a lifetime.
For me Novak has better mentality that fighting against hostile crowds.
You have to watch 2011season and 2012Australian Open final then you know Who is Professor X
@@arunsekhar7931 Hostile crowds that he's brought on himself with his historic attitude. There's no way his fighting spirit exceeds Nadal's. Get real.
@@josephmanno4514 really???? Nadal won aussy open in the absence of Novak,so enjoy
@@josephmanno4514 Fighting spirit no, but mentaly djokovic is stronger so far. Wimbledon 2019 against Federer? Cmon man, just be real.
One of their best matches
2010 Nadal was unstoppable! One of the best his match .
Rafael Nadal playing absolutely a devastating power game..sensational indeed as a great tennis player..
I think this is the best I've seen him hit his backhands, depth and power, no wonder he was unstoppable.
9 years later, Nadal will compete in the final again. It's amazing how much his game has changed.
Regarding Nadal's game, very little has changed over the course of his career. And as amazing as Nadal has been for the past two seasons (2017-2019), he was even better during the earlier years of his career (especially 2008-2013). The doubters and naysayers were just wrong, by claiming Nadal will not have a longevous and prosperous career, namely because of his style of play (which often gets him injured).
this us open 2010 version of nadal is the best ever movement,backhand,forehand,forehand more importantly the serve goat class
Personally, I have never seen Rafael Nadal play a better hard-court tournament than the US Open 2010, and I'm considering his AO 2009 victory, which many believe was his best performance on hardcourts. No, it's THIS one right here.
In the entire tournament, Nadal never looked vulnerable. Excellent serve, devastating backhand, and a powerful forehand that just didn't know how to make mistakes. I remember watching the entire 5-hour match of Nadal vs Verdasco of AO 2009, and frankly, Nadal could have lost that match. I was literally telling myself, here we go again. Rafa going out in yet another semis of a hard-court Grandslam.
Agree entirely. Not to take any thing from Nadal, but watching ao09 final it felt like federer played better tennis yet somehow Nadal came on top.
It’s just strange, nadal 2ao and 3-1 vs fed in ao, but has 3 less titles
I'd say this one was the most solid and AO 2009 was the most epic/magical
@@NamTran-xc2ip 4 less titles* fed has 6 AO titles
Nadal is a monster on hard court despite what ppl make it seem. He won 4 USO and 2 AO and made many other finals on top of that. It's a pity he had to face Novak who is the best hard court player in history + Fed and Murray who are hard court specialists. The most magical run def was 2022 AO, he looked like he could lose any match yet somehow won all 7 of them. And the most solid were here 2010 USO and 2017 USO, he was a beast in these and no one could have stopped him.
facts
Best opening point ever!
I believe Nadal did shape alot of Djokovics game today.
He was the only one who gave him a hard time. He knows how to play him
Rafael Nadal es hasta ahora el mejor tenista profesional de la historia.
Un jugador excepcional y Único !!
I have never seen Nadal play like this again. Amazing
Prime Rafa 2008-2010. No one touched that level of tennis except Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
@@mysticnomad89 No, no other Rafa in history on HC was hitting BH and FH like this. He was hitting like thiem except way more precise.
If someone says nadal play defensively, watch this tournament or 2013 us open series version of nadal, both were crushing winners after winners
Do u even know what defensive game is? Both these guys are playing from the baseline and not coming to the net. Not trying to finish the point in less than 5 shots. That's what defensive game is.
nirupam89 hahahahah you really need a brain transplant if you actually believe that, Nadal and Djokovic are both agressive baseliners dummy, how long have you been watching tennis anyway? Yesterday maybe?
No dumbasses defensive style is running around keeping the ball in play to allow opponents to make mistakes, offensive is hitting with power and finishes the points off faster, volley is going to the net, which has certainly died off
Our comment proves that he is basically defensive player and plays offensive tennis rarely
@@nirupam89
That is BS!
nadal's performances in 2010 and 2013 at the us open are the most dominant hard court performances in ny ever, imo.
Nadal in 2010 was out of this world. Best tennis player there ever was.
Keep dreaming
@@russelstephan6342 who was better? Name me one player that had his speed, his ground strokes, a 140 mph serve, and won 3 slams on 3 different surfaces in the same year.
@@taylorpack7705 fed 2006 unnstopable.
@@iamtheshadows4916 against who? Roddick? Old Agassi? Hewitt? Safin? He didn’t play anyone.
@@taylorpack7705 nadal Maybe but you will probably say that is baby nadal when he is not he started wining slams at 2005 and he was main rival of roger from 2005 to 2010.
2009: Rafa becomes the youngest to have won 1 GS on each surface.
A year later: Rafa becomes the youngest player (open era) to complete the GS.
How? He didn't win ao in 2010
@@iceoj4980 he win Ao 2009
@@gaminababan7349 complete the gs? How?
@@gaminababan7349 ohh understood he won uso in 2010 right
One of the most ridiculous matches I have seen, so sad Nadal got all those injuries:/ Vamos Rafa!
wimbledon 2018 is now their greatest match, after AO 2012
@@nurajafar8366 RG 2013 is at the same level of those two
@@javierjesusbalades2155
Si Senor 👌
Yeah injuries certainly ruined Nadal's career after this... only won 9 more slams
@@Omkar529
9 i don t think...5-6 certainly
9:20 the selection of shots by Nadal is exceptional !
This match was one of Nadal's best performance on court, wow! See how young feet, young hands n young spirit could flew higher n highest? Amazing! Win more n more!
Love it! 💝
Rafa was a beast in these two weeks. His backhand and serve during this tournament were the best they ever were imo. He was bludgeoning his backhand and serve. If he'd play like that all the time, he'd win a lot more.
his backhand was remarkable in 2017, in the French Open he was killing opponents from that side.
Gherbi Hicham Agreed. 2017 clay season Rafa beats this one and 2012 RG Rafa for best I’ve ever seen him play. You could play to that backhand a thousand times and he’d hit all of them back, and he’d probably put the ball away for a winner too.
Nadal and djokovic from 2010 to 2013 were absolute monsters!!!
Nadal en 2010 y Djokovic en 2011!! vaya bestias
I'd pay a lot of money to see 2010 nadal vs 2011 djokovic
şeytanın avukatı no way it was the same Rafa , not even close , nadal was terrible in those matches against djokovic in 2011
he murdered nadal in 2011. nadal gave it everything. novaks defense was just better. 2010 novak hasnt figured nadal out, defense isnt the same. just watch both highlights. the quality of shots from both nadal and novak was superior in 2011. yet novak was still better. "novak was my problem in 2011" nadal.
2011 was good year for Nadal but imo 2010 USO Nadal vs 2011 Nole is Nadal win.
even at minimum mentally Nadal was definitely stronger in 2010 than 2011, I think he served better too. Wouldn't pick 2010 as Nadal's peak though, probably 2009 AO
Derek Woods Other than 2008/2012/2017 French Open Nadal's Us Open 2010 was the best grand slam in his career in terms form, he was basically the best version of himself, he regularly hit above 130 mph serves which never happened before in his career and was hitting the forehand the same as you see him on clay.
Djokovic was obviously better in 2011 than this match but I would still pick Nadal to win in this form, Nadal basically figured out Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open, Djokovic only won one grand slam match since then (Nadal won four), and it was in 2015; aka the worst year in Nadal's career, when Nadal basically lost to everybody.
Probably the best match between these two, together with their 2013 US open. And probably the best player ever, Nadal in his prime. Quality tennis, speed and physical and mental power, unstopable.
Novak was not that good but 2011 changed everything.
What about US open 2011?
In 2010 Nadal was literaly unstoppable
Oh the days when nadal was injury free. It’s been 13 years since that’s happened. It’s amazing he still has 22 majors
lol what nadal was already injured back then, he retired in AO that year
@@warriorsilver2442 there you go, a man that’s had to battle himself beyond any other opponent
@@malvarez8484 Yeah he could have won the sunshine slam as well if he was more fit.
Murray, Del Potro are the ones who' actually injured.
titanic battles--Both were great at that time. Rafa just amazing with deep, hard shots, moving from defense to offense on a dime. Djokovic was not a slouch. He was playing damned well and would have beaten almost anyone else.
Lol...idiot djoker fans
Yeh
Pró no a Nadal, i le ha salvado d no tener más derrotas contra Nadal, sus malditas lesiones
2010 was the absolute peak of Nadal in regards to court coverage and power especailly on hard courts...
Nah 2010 he was already slower
@@aleksamilosevic8792 Maybe but 2010 was Nadal's peak level all around off clay..Federer had more success vs Nadal off clay later on because Nadal was a shell of himself ie speed + quickness..
Bring old nadal, i want him to perform well and win grand slams on hardcourt and grass.
Best wishes from India, hope we see best nadal in upcoming year.
Are you suggesting he hasn't won grand slams on grass and hard courts? But the end of the 2010 season (same year this US Open final match featured in the video took place) Nadal had even won more GS titles than Djokovic on all surfaces. In fact, he had already recorded his 2 wimbledon titles by then. Djokovic had none.
@@TheTmat007 yeah but now he has 5 Wimbkedon titles,3 of them beating Federer in final and the other too beating Nadal in semi final and final,so doesn't matter,facts
@@cosminapisoi
Nadal, today, is still performing very good. The same is also true in regards to Federer and Djokovic. But this isn't the Nadal of 2008-2013. In fact, even Federer stated that part of the reason for his better success against Nadal (during the more recent years of the rivalry) is because Nadal isn't performing quite like he did back then. Also, Djokovic never faced a young Federer on grass. To me, those facts matter. It reveals Djokovic has had an easier path towards his bigger or greater achievements than did Nadal. A young Nadal has had to battle his rivals across all 3 surfaces, while they were young.
Nadal won last 3 slams of 2010. 2019 he won 2 of last 3. Still winning.
Ndal won last won grandslams of 2022.. at age of 36.. still winning!
He will play 2023 to 2026 also and try to win 3rd Wimbledon title if he fails he will retire with 25 major titles
The level of power in Nadal groundstrokes here was frightening. Especially on that wicked forehand, so much venom and pace Djokovic was clutching at thin air so many times.
Yeah that power coupled with his top spin gave him absolute control as well. No one hits that kind of inside out forehand
After 9 years he won his 4th us open and 19 th overall. Goat for a reason. Vamos RAFA.
abinash saikia no goat is djoko
@@Krishzboy no he's not. No one is. There is no GOAT
Rafa is the GOAT
nobody is better than federer
Not one man from any era in Tennis could have beaten Nadal on this day, I would've bet my life savings on it.
Federer 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008; would have beaten him.
Lol good one. It would've taken more than that flat forehand to best Nadal. In case you haven't realized but Federer tends to leave with his asshole torn apart after facing Nadal.
2013 US open finalist Nadal willl give this 2010 Nadal a good game, he was using a heavier racquet producing more top spins on his forehand and landing them closer to the baseline making it difficult for his opponents.
Gangsta Crew how can he give himself a good game ? You need 2 people to play tennis !
Nadal was beating Federer in 2005, 2006, and 2008 anyways, so he would've done nothing against Rafa here in 2010. Nice try
Great video! I thought I was watching a live broadcast :-)
Thar was an unbelieveable performance by Rafa! I think one of his best ever - on all surfaces! I saw the live broadcast. I knew Rafa was going to win his first U.S. Open that year. He and Novak are always a great matchup.
Rafa was definitely undefeatable on this day. Much better serve and play than any other match from Rafa.. I want this diehard fighter Rafael Nadal back, to win more grandslam titles..King of clay forever..
You don’t see this kind of matches nowadays 😪
People wonder why Nadal changed his serve after showing that he could serve up to 135 mph. There are 2 reasons. The first was that he ended up getting tendinitis in his shoulder from the service motion change towards the end of the year in 2010. The second was that he ended up missing a lot of first serves. The last tournament where he tried to serve hard was Indian Wells 2011. In that final against Djokovic, he won the first set. After that, Djokovic had no problem breaking Nadal because he missed to many first serves which is playing with fire against a good returner like Djokovic. I wished he had not changed though because Djokovic and Federer probably read his serve better than anyone so they have good success on hard and on grass courts. Ultimately I believe Nadal pulled the plug too quickly
DoubleOhTheG absolutely true
literally the best match i have ever seen amazing winners
Insane level of play- (way to go Rafa)!
Nadal-Djokovic rivalry is intense and thrilling to watch while Nadal-Fed rivalry is more of it and Djoko-Fed is either of it. But we're witnessing the best 3 tennis player of all time and can't help but to appreciate these guys. Been a Sampras fan, now these 3 are just way better.
if nadal had not been injured in 2011 AO , he would have had best 2011 as well and djlokovic would be have come into the scene
nadal here was strong and very sure
Rafa Nadal is GOAT.From 2007 to 2013 he fought greatest tennis battles with both Federer and Djokovic.2007 Wimbledon final 2008 Wimbledon final 2009 aus open final,2010 us open final,2012 aus open final,2013 french open semifinal,2013 us open final are some greatest battles ever fought in history of tennis.
Pinnacle of men's tennis between 2005- 2015.
I watched this yesterday and have been thinking about it. I think Federer is unquestionably the GOAT but, seeing this match, I simply don't think he could have kept with this pace like these two. Very, very physical. I could be wrong but I don't think I've ever seen Roger play a match with this kind of sustained, elevated speed, strength, and shot-making. Amazing to watch.
He doesn't need to... He has rocket and accurate forehand and his volleys and his serves !! He finishes points quickly...
Different player altogether
Fed wAs unquestionably the GOAT. Now he’s out of the race and it’s between djodal. Nadal has more slams, Olympic gold, most titles in a single gs. But in every other aspects djokovic is ahead.
Had Nadal not suffered injuries God knows how many grandslams he would have had in cabinet..♥️♥️
This isn't peak Djokovic ,Nadal healthy/not he won't beat him.
My gosh!!!! Their hitting prowess and athleticism are unbelievable. And every time Nadal hits the ball, it makes a huge sound. My God, he hits hard. It would be brutal to play against these two but especially Nadal's coz his ground strokes are punishing....!!!
Am I the only one who came here before 2019 ao final
Amazing upload!
And what a brutal game between two of the best!
Nadal was very powerful in 2010 He won RG without losing a set and Wimbledon and in devastating form in US Open
yes as nadal said 2010 was his best year.
In Wimbledon he was lucky as both djokovic and federer are out
@@DevenderKumar-mh6fl well he defeated federer in 2008.in wimbledon final, and that was a peak federer in good form on his best surface, and federer was unable to beat nadal at the french open despite so many attempts nadal kept destroying his there, often in straight sets. and that year plus 2009 and 2010 were peak nadal years.where he was world no 1 and also won olympic gold
Nadal won four singles titles on clay, and defeated Roger Federer in three clay finals.in 2008, which added to beating federer in wimbledon final means nadal beat federer at least four times in 2008, on grass and clay. nadal won three grand slams in 2010 including beating djokovic in the US open final, despite hard court being his weakest surface and hard for him given his knee problems.
So federer and djokovic were no problem for nadal.Nadal was beating djokovic and federer during those three years on a regular basis. he was like the nadal now, but much more energetic and faster around the court, being younger.
if another player beat federer and djokovic, nadal had to defeat the player who defeated federer and djokovic', and if nadal beat that player -which he did-then that means nadal is playing better than djokovic and federer, and fact is in those three years, nadal was playing better than federer and djokovic which is why he was world no 1. and unlike djokovic and federer, nadal won slams on all three surfaces-he won two wimbledon titles, one us open title ,one australian open title, and five french opens by end of 2010. that is a complete player. you could argue that federer only won his single french open because nadal got knocked out in a big upset. for sure if federer had to face nadal at french open he would have lost.. but i credit federer because he had to beat soderling nadal's overcomer, and federers form on clay, only losing to the brilliance of nadal on the surface meant federer deserved one french open title.to reward his consistency at the french open. .
he beat federer in both the wimbledon final and the australian open final, so nadal beat federer on grass, on hard court and on clay, and took over the world no 1 position which he held until djokovic's incredible 2011 season, where nobody could beat him. so theres no way you can devalue nadal's achievements, when he beat federer and djokovic at wimbledon,at the french, and at the US open. and in the french he was beating federer and djokovic in the same tournament. clay is the most difficult surface to dominate on, which is why the second most successful player on clay only has six french opens-borg. clay requires the most physicality, most fitness, strength, mental endurance. which is why nadals domination of the hardest surface both in the masters clay tournaments and at the french single him out as the greatest player. and now having won his twelve french open and fourth US open this year, nadal is only won grand slam behind federer's record, and nadal holds the record for the most ATP masters 1000 titles. in 2013 nadal dominated the hard court swing, he was unbeaten on the hard courts that season , climaxing in again beating djokovic in the US open final.so two of nadal's US opens involved beating djokovic in the final. nadal beat medvedev in this US open final just gone, and medvedev is almost an exact copy of djokovic. djokovic keeps losing to medvedev, and medvedev has been beating every top player on the tour. except nadal. nadal beat him in the rogers cup final, and at the US open final just gone. basically nadal beat a younger version of djokovic. beating medvedev when medvedev beat djokovic, means in effect that in beating medvedev nadal proved himself better than djokovic. that is how grand slams work. you may not face djokovic and federer because other players may knock them out, but then you have to face the player who knocked them out. and if you beat that player, then that shows you are superior in form compared to djokovic and federer. so that argument is not valid. I always acknowledge the achievements of nadal , federer and djokovic who each have their own unique achievements, their own unique records and dominations.
Devender Kumar I must correct you, thoroughly by going through the complete history of these three greats. well, nadal defeated federer in 2008.in wimbledon final, and that was a peak federer in good form on his best surface, and federer was unable to beat nadal at the french open despite so many attempts nadal kept destroying his there, often in straight sets. and that year plus 2009 and 2010 were peak nadal years.where he was world no 1 and also won olympic gold
Nadal won four singles titles on clay, and defeated Roger Federer in three clay finals.in 2008, which added to beating federer in wimbledon final means nadal beat federer at least four times in 2008, on grass and clay. nadal won three grand slams in 2010 includihg beating djokovic in the US open final, despite hard court being his weakest surface and hard for him given his knee problems. So federer and djokovic were no problem for nadal.
Nadal was beating djokovic and federer during those three years on a regular basis. he was like the nadal now, but much more energetic and faster around the court, being younger. if another player beat federer and djokovic, nadal had to defeat the player who defeated federer and djokovic', and if nadal beat that player -which he did-then that means nadal is playing better than djokovic and federer, and fact is in those three years, nadal was playing better than federer and djokovic which is why he was world no 1. and unlike djokovic and federer, nadal won slams on all three surfaces-he won two wimbledon titles, one us open title ,one australian open title, and five french opens by end of 2010. that is a complete player..
he beat federer in both the wimbledon final and the australian open final, so nadal beat federer on grass, on hard court and on clay, and took over the world no 1 position which he held until djokovic's incredible 2011 season, where nobody could beat him. so theres no way you can devalue nadal's achievements, when he beat federer and djokovic at wimbledon,at the french, and at the US open. and in the french he was beating federer and djokovic in the same tournament.
clay is the most difficult surface to dominate on, which is why the second most successful player on clay only has six french opens-borg. and why djokovic and federer only have one french open each.
clay requires the most physicality, most fitness, strength, mental endurance, most concentration, you have to generate all the power on the shots so more strength required, groundstrokes have to be more solid than on any other surface as you have to construct points like a chess match as rallies are often long, and the player with the most top spin has the advantage which is why nadals domination of the hardest surface both in the masters clay tournaments and at the french single him out as the greatest player.
and now having won his twelve french open and fourth US open this year, nadal is only won grand slam behind federer's record, and nadal holds the record for the most ATP masters 1000 titles.
in 2013 nadal dominated the hard court swing, he was unbeaten on the hard courts that season , climaxing in again beating djokovic in the US open final.nadal is one of only two players to have ever gone unbeaten in the hard court season-the other one being andy roddick.
so two of nadal's US opens involved beating djokovic in the final. nadal beat medvedev in this US open final just gone, and medvedev is almost an exact copy of djokovic. djokovic keeps losing to medvedev, and medvedev has been beating every top player on the tour this year, except nadal. nadal beat medvedev in the rogers cup final, and at the US open final just gone.
Basically nadal beat a younger version of djokovic. beating medvedev when medvedev beat djokovic, means in effect that in beating medvedev nadal proved himself better than djokovic. that is how grand slams work. you may not face djokovic and federer because other players may knock them out, but then you have to face the player who knocked them out. and if you beat that player, then that shows you are superior in form compared to djokovic and federer. so that argument is not valid.
I always acknowledge the achievements of nadal , federer and djokovic who each have their own unique achievements, their own unique records and dominations. it is ungenerous in spirit to try to undermine their legacy, their achievements by making excuses for their victories. the best fans of these three great players will generously and honourably pay tribute to each of the three players unique records and achievements.
there is always the GOAT debate, which involves these three players plus i would put Borg in there too, and the now underrated sampras too, borg having won both french open and wimbledon five times in a row, but retired very early at twenty six years old. that shows just how gruelling the clay season is, as borg was mentally worn out with tennis and didnt want to play anymore. sampras who was the best serve and volleyer during the netrush fast court era.
but the neutral way to settle the GOAT debate is grand slams and masters 1000 titles, as the purpose of those tournaments is to find who is the best, and this stops our bias toward our favourite player clouding our judgement. so it is between federer and nadal right now, but nadal has superior head to head vs federer. nadal is only one behind federer in grand slams, but nadal holds the record for most masters 1000 titles ever-two more than djokovic in second place. djokovic is three grand slams behind nadal and four behind federer, but he has a good head to head record against nadal. and is currently two wins ahead of nadal in head to head. so djokovic has fallen behind in the GOAT race, but he can still get back in there, as before nadal won US open, djokovic had won three of the last four grand slams.
djokovic has hinted though that he is nearing the end of his career, so its unlikely that he will be still playing in three-four years as injuries are now catching up with him.
@@DevenderKumar-mh6fl You mean, they got lucky not to face this Monster !! ... hahaha
The energy these guys spend for over 3hours running about and working this hard.... is worth every penny
Nadal actually hit really hard in this match which gave him the W. Even in the 2013 final where Nadal won, he hit way slower compared to Novak and he was constantly put under pressure. Post-2011 it always felt like Nadal was the underdog against Nole, constantly chasing after balls, always on the losing end of epic rallies. The fact he somehow still collected a few Ws against Novak shows how mentally tough he is with a never give up fighting spirit. His game tho was always slightly below Novak's level from 2011 onwards. This final was the last match Rafa actually dominated Novak (besides 2020 RG final, but that was on clay)
Nadal had to change his serve due to shoulder strain.
Stunning play from Djokovic but unfortunately he was facing the GOAT.
whfan007 No he faced Goat in the semis.
ashwini kumar there’s a difference between being the most successful of all time (federer) and being the goat (Nadal). Nadal has la decima, at least 2 slams on each surface, gold medal, 9-3 & 9-4 in slams vs Federer & Djokovic, etc. He’s the goat. Federer won half of his slams against Roddick, Hewitt, Gonzales, Baghdatis, etc. Most successful (quantity) yes, goat (success/quality) no.
whfan007 Idiot he has 1 slam in AO. Why u so dumb? And if you think Nadal is the Goat, then there is no point of this discussion.
ashwimi kumer He said atleast two on each surface you dimwit.
If we’re talking about most successful I’d said both federer and nadal because they’re two totally different players, but if we’re talking about the complete player, best ever in their primes, you’re looking at him on this video, 2010 Nadal
ONE OF THE GOAT OF ALL GOATS VERSION OF NADAL.
Probably best version of Nadal on hardcourts with AO 2009
However this wasn't Djokovic's peak yet (He needed 5 sets to beat Troicki earlier in the tournament and lost to Federer and Nadal a couple of times after this USO final)
Nadal 2010 vs Djokovic 2011 would be awesome tho
Djokovic would slaughter him. As soon as Djokovic found the strategy to beat Nadal then he just went into overdrive in this H2H off clay. On clay it's still advantage to Nadal because of the topspin FH.
@zakaria djouzi
And so what?
That is a pathetic excuse, i could say that Nadal faced gluten Djokovic before 2011!
@@GameOvais Rafa would have dismantled and crushed and eaten 2011 Novak for breakfast,you Senseless piece of trash,look at those missiles he was hitting off both wings,hear the thunderous pump on the court, douche
Best tennis match ever seen, lucky to have Rafa in my generation ..love tennis love rafa
the grunts just added drama to each point! loved it
This Nadal was the bet player ever around that time
min 8:35, that backhand down the line and winning the point with that crazy forehand. I sure do miss those days though!
Anyone realize that the same year in which Nadal won three out of four slams, Spain won the FIFA World Cup?
"These guys are so good at what they do is unbelievable.
Nasal is lethal. His mastery of top spin balls is unbelievable
1. Federer is the greatest in tennis artistry!
2. Djokovic is the greatest in machine-like precision tennis!
3. Nadal is an ordinary man who did extraordinary things: a natural right-hander who excelled with his left hand; a guy with a physique that is not best for tennis who is almost always the underdog on grass and hard courts yet able to beat the likes of Federer on Wimbledon grass and Djokovic on US Open hard court relying on his great fighting heart and awesome tenacity! One of the greatest comeback players on tour and could be the greatest fighter on court who is humble in victory and gracious in defeat never smashing a racket! ❤️
I hope Nadal can be anywhere near this level at the US Open again. This year is promising he has regained great form at the AO and RG at least.
He ain't winning shit. Clay court season is over.
nirupam89 Lool angry much, at 31 and he's still leading the race to number one, keep hating.
+nirupam89 He already almost won the Australian Open (thats not clay in case you didn't notice).
nirupam89 lol are you sure?
nirupam89 what's your email? I want to send you a picture of Nadal holding the 2017 US open trophy
2009 and 2010 rafa was on another level
Nadal backhand that night was unbeliveble. Prime version of Rafa no doubt
This is one of my favorite matches.
that backhand cross court pass is still my fav, funny he did it again in 2013 final
Nadal in that outfit 🤩🤩🤩😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
At their wimbledon match, this year, Djokovic served better. He scored 15 more aces than Nadal. Yet, the match was close, and could've gone to either player. In fact, Nadal even won more games. Now, just imagine what would likely have happened, if Nadal's service game at wimbledon was as good as this US Open match.
@InsideOutBH
Are you kidding? I wonder what Wimbledon match it is that you were watching. Lol.
First of all, Nadal played poorly in the 1st set against Djokovic at Wimbledon. But notice how that things quickly changed after he dialed-in, in the 2nd set. And, contrary to what you stated, Nadal actually led the match as it approached the end of the 3rd. The fact that Nadal was up 3 set points in 3rd (after having won the 2nd), meant he led the match at that stage. But had Nadal converted on any of his set points, he would've been the one with the 2-1 lead, when play was suspended for the night. And he probably would've won the match in 4 sets (since he won the 4th). And even in the 5th set, the match could've gone to either player. That's how close it had been.
"When was the last time Djokovic lost to Nadal in a slam after winning the 1st set?"
That's easy! At their 2014 FO final, Nadal won the match after Djokovic took the 1st set. And, shortly afterwards, Nadal's form declined, until the end of the 2016 season. But, Nadal's form declined to its worse, in 2015.
@InsideOutBH Roland Garros 2014 final, Djokovic won the first set and Nadal won the next 3, but they have not faced each other so many times since then in slams, only twice. But as a Nadal fan the Wimbledon 2018 was one of the best matches I've ever seen and I had the luck to see It live. Rafa played so great but Novak was strong mentally
@@theobecquet8477
It's good to see InsideOutBH made the correction by editing his/her comment. But yes, Nadal's main problem against Novak is mental. And speaking of their 2014 FO match, did you notice that it was when Nadal went to his backhand slice that the outcome of the match change? Even the Eurosports commentators acknowledged how effective Nadal was with the slice. And we can also see the backhand slice working effectively against Djokovic, in this match. Just check out the one @ 2:57. The ball appear as though it is floating...Amazing! And I also agree with you that the 2018 Wimbledon semi-final was one of their better matches. I just wish I had the privilege of watching live like you did.
There will never be another Rafa.
High quality match......Never thought Rafa would win 3 more titles here.
The most entertaining and energetic tennis player ever.... period
Nadal's new serve in this tournament damaged his shoulder and forced him to resort back to his old serve.
And today he wins a 16th GS , 3rd at USO 2017
Facing no top20 players and losing sets against Daniel and Mayer
+Francis98 sadly federer couldnt even manage that
Francis98 Federer lost to a player outside the top 20
Federer lost against a stranger at Dubai this season so I stop you here.
Maharshi Bhattacharyya federer was carrying an injury
Super powerful man Rafael Nadal
Q dos jabatos del tenis, pró q gran espectaculo d'golpes d'Nadal, és una gozada verlo jugar, hace q todos los partidos sea una emocion verlos, antes i ahora, m encanta, s un campeón espectacular, para mi the best, el mejor, CAMPEÓN!! 😘😘😘😘👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💪
أحسن لاعب في تاريخ التنس نادال 🤗
Nadal is the best! El puto amo!
Monster Nadal.... Beating King of Hard Courts.
At that time Novak isn't great but after a year he became a monster.
Nadal is pure poetry. The finest, most wonderful player I've ever seen. Just magnificent. ❤❤❤
I don't think I've ever seen Nadal hit so hard
If he had hit this hard from his BH more often he would have been undisputed goat
This version of nadal serve
Flat and quick... should happen after 2020 ... he can still b able to win 6 more grandslam
I just came here to let everyone know Nadal just won his 3rd US Open title.
Lilboy sWeat Tell that to your mama
Thomas brunkle Nadal has more us open titles than Djokovic haha
@@WuzzaWombat RIP
@@WuzzaWombat now both have 3
Now Nadal has four us open title, one more than novak
since 2014 he never touched this level again but still won so many slams.. unbelievable.
At this point, you thought Nadal would dominate the tour for a long time but the next year Djokovic kind of owned Nadal. So strange
vivahernando1 well, djoko would improve thx to these kind of matches
Thanx to injuries and rafa getting slower! Rafa is a clay court specialist it's a big shame for djokobitch that Nadal was able to whoop his ass on hard courts as well. Djoko couldn't ever beat Nadal on clay in his prime..from 2005 to 2009 i.e..even in 2010 i think. His victories over nadal on clay after that are meaningless.
@GTS No drug can explain how Djokovic can elevate his game seemingly on demand, based on the situation. Looks ordinary in the early rounds and becomes God-like in semis and finals.
nadal doesn't have a body to last for many years .. even earlier he had great season .. 2008 but always breaks down after 8 -9 months
@@dheeraj742002 People saying that since 2009.. come on!
Nadal was simply unstoppable in 2010 after recovered from the injury
Nadal was a beast!!!
Kenny M “IS”
The Rafael Nadal the greatest of all time for real , vamos rafa 🎾
2009 Federer (WIMBLEDON, US, RG)
2010 Rafa (WIMBLEDON, US, RG)
2015 Djokovic (WIMBLEDON, US, AUSTRALIA)
The us open of 2009 was won by Del Potro
17:11 one set all and serving for the set but it's 15:30. Then Rafa comes up with 3 big serves and closes out the set. It's his serve that was the key difference in 2010. Really wish he could have kept this serve. But sadly it gave him abdominal injuries and so he had to switch back to his old serve which well, led to 2011. What a warrior though, always keeps fighting! Gotta love Rafa
These were the end days of Djokovic being just a good player and what follows in the next 4-5 months was the start of the incredible domination by him that continues to date.
Lol,this was as good as 2011,Rafa 2010 would beat any version of Novak
He is not good player he is great player actually he was world ranking no 3 actually so he started playing great since 2008 for sure
You fans are strange actually
Good player can't defeat Federer for sure
He must be great or best simple it is not easy to defeat Federer actually for good players
Djokovic is playing great since 2008
Djokovic is playing best since 2011.
That's why he was world ranking no 3 in 2008,2009,2010.
@@planestuff5027 2011,15 versions of Novak will definitely win against this Nadal
@@arunsekhar9288That's your opinion but when Rafa 2011 with worst serve could take a set off of 2011 Novak,2010 Rafa would finish him in 4 sets,2015 Novak?Not even a chance.
During those earlier years (2006-2013) Nadal played most of his shots with great depth, and Djokovic hardly had answers. Djokovic only won their h2h in 2011. That's just 1 season out of the 8 that I mentioned. But, when Nadal is hitting with such depth in addition to serving as well as he did during this match, it's very difficult to defeat him.
lmfao broken record. 2006-2010 djokovic really 😂!!!!
nadal only beat djokovic twice outside clay in djokovic's prime (post 2011) and lost 16 times. LMFAO. Gluten intolerant djokovic.
@@aranyaism
It doesn't matter that Nadal only beat Djokovic twice outside of clay, since 2011. The fact of the matter is, on Djokovic's best surface (HC), Nadal was able to defeat him prior to and after 2011. Djokovic, on the other hand, was unable to defeat Nadal on both clay and grass, prior to 2011. And that Djokovic was not at his "peak" or "prime," is just a silly excuse. Djokovic was able to defeat Federer and other players whom he faced on clay, prior to 2011. And he also lead Nadal on HC. So, there's absolutely no excuse. Nadal was the better all around player. He was a beast. Just admit!