Rafa Nadal lifts the trophy.

Looking fit as can be and maybe even better than ever, the No. 2-ranked Nadal pulled away from No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Monday in a taut, tense US Open final for his 13th Grand Slam title.

"Very, very emotional, no?" Nadal said during the on-court trophy presentation. "Probably only my team knows how much (this) means for me."

They started in sunlight and finished at night, a 3-hour, 21-minute miniseries of cliffhangers and plot twists and a pair of protagonists who inspired standing ovations in the middle of games.

"Probably nobody brings my game to the limit like Novak," said Nadal, who collected $3.6 million in prize money, including a $1 million bonus for results during the North American hard-court circuit.

There was no quit in either of them, during points that lasted 15, 25, even more than 50 strokes. Those rallies went so long, rarely over when they appeared to be, and spectators often shouted out during the course of play, prompting Nadal to complain to the chair umpire.

This was their 37th match against each other, the most between any two men in the Open era, and Nadal has won 22. It also was their third head-to-head US Open final in the last four years. Nadal beat Djokovic for the 2010 title, and Djokovic won their rematch in 2011.

They know each other's games so well, and play such similar hustle-to-every-ball styles, but in the end, it was Nadal who was superior.

"He was too good. He definitely deserved to win this match today and this trophy," Djokovic said. "Obviously disappointing to lose a match like this."

Rafael Nadal capped a sensational 2013 with his second US Open title.
Nadal improved to 22-0 on hard courts and 60-3 overall in 2013 with nine titles, including at the French Open, which made him the first man with at least one Grand Slam trophy in nine consecutive seasons. The 27-year-old Spaniard's total of 13 major championships ranks third in the history of men's tennis, behind only Roger Federer's 17 and Pete Sampras' 14.

"Thirteen Grand Slams for a guy who is 27 years old is incredible," said Djokovic, who owns six himself. "Whatever he achieved so far in his career, everybody should respect, no question about it."

Source:http://espn.go.com/tennis/usopen13/story/_/id/9656100/2013-us-open-rafael-nadal-bests-novak-djokovic-title-caps-stellar-13

Watch out when you make Serena mad. Wiliams seemed to decide to get down to business. She was visibly fired up. She won the next three games including a break in Azarenka’s serve, taking the first set 7-5. Williams attacked with sheer power rather than finesse, her best approach with the windy conditions still bothering her.
The winner of the first set has gone on to win the last 18 championships. It would be no different this year, but it was a long hard fight.
Williams broke Azarenka’s serve in the first game of the second set. Azarenka is no quitter, but the shift in momentum was obvious. Getting whipped with service aces between 114 and 119 miles per hour will shut anyone down. The second break for Williams came when Azarenka double faulted on her serve.


Victoria Azarenka serves against Serena Williams during the women’s singles final of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament Sunday. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
It seemed over at this point. But Azarenka fought her way back, with help from a few unforced errors by Williams and her own excellent play, especially when coming to the net. From a 4-1 deficit, Azarenka brought the set back to 6-6, then won a close tiebreak to take the second set. Once again the wind got into Williams’ head, and her frustration was distracting her.
It came down to the third set, and again came down to unforced errors. Azarenka let Williams get a service break in the fourth game due to unforced errors. Williams  regained her edge, and delivered her hardest service ace of the match in the fifth game of the third set, 126 miles per hour. Azarenka did it again in the sixth game, double faultng to put Williams up 5-1 and serving for the match.
Williams won the game, set, match and America’s championship, 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-1 in two hours and 46 minutes. It was the longest women’s championship match since the tournament has been keeping track, 1980.
After congratulating Azarenka, Williams shouted in triumph to the crowd. It is Williams’ fifth U.S. Open singles title, third Grand Slam title this year, and her 17th Grand Slam title overall in singles. She is the oldest U.S. Open women’s champion just shy of her 32nd birthday. She won $2.6 million in prize money, plus another $1 million for placing first in the Emirates Bonus Challenge.
After warm applause from the crowd, Azarenka told Mary Carillo of CBS, “It is a tough loss. But to be in the final against a tough player who deserves the win is incredible. We fought hard.”

Serena Williams shows her fifth U.S. Open women’s singles trophy to the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. Photo: Associated Press, David Goldman.
Williams told Carillo after the match “I definately felt the love, so thank you all so much. It’s an honor to play in New York.” Turning to Azarenka, Wiliams said “Vica is such a great opponent, such a great fighter … It was never over until match point.”

Source: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/sports-around/2013/sep/8/us-open-tennis-2013-serena-williams-wins-photos-su/

Andy Murray's Wimbledon victory was historic,ending a 77 year wait for a British man to win what is arguably the most special Championship in world Tennis. My heart was in my mouth throughout the riveting match. It was certainly a joy to watch history being made.

The Championship point was so close yet so far. At some points in the game,it felt was never going to come sooner. Andy had already taken the previous two sets 6-4,7-5 against the reigning number one Djokovic. 

In the prelude to the championship point,Djokovic had recovered from 0-40 deficit to tie or deuce the game. That certainly sent shivers down the anxious fans watching near London's Tower Bridge and Dunblane. Echoes of Djokovic's spectacular victory over Federer when he came from two sets down was lurking at their minds. 

With the entire nation behind him, Andy Murray found the extra will to turnaround the second set and finally get the championship point. It was clearly well deserved after the heart break of losing in last year's final to eventual winner Roger Federer. After that tournament, first runners-up had prophetically claimed that he was getting closer to his rivals. And right he was, with the Olympic Gold and U.S Open championship to prove it.

He can now claim to having won the championship that has eluded even some of the greatest players including his coach Ivan Lendl. 

I guess congratulations are in order.