Flashback US Open: Novak Djokovic prevails over Roger Federer for tenth Major crown

After losing in the semi-final to Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic in 2014, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer had gone one step further 12 months later, setting up their first US Open final in eight years. It was the battle of the best players in the world and the dominant figures in New York in the last decade, with Djokovic prevailing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in three hours and 21 minutes on September 13 to lift his tenth Major crown and only the second in New York from six finals. It was the 42nd meeting between Novak and Roger, and they were tied at 21 wins each, forging one of the greatest rivalries in the history of tennis. That 2015 was the most fabulous season in Novak Djokovic's career, winning 82 out of 88 matches and lifting 11 trophies, ten out of 14 most significant ones! The Serb was the player to beat at six Masters 1000 events, the World Tour Finals and three Majors. At the US Open, Novak had to work hard against Roger Federer in the last US Open final for the Swiss so far.

Also, Novak became only the second player after Roger with multiple seasons with at least three Major titles, moving ahead of Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander and Rafael Nadal, who did that once. Novak won just two points more than Roger and had to dig deep in his service games to emerge as a winner before the deciding set, repelling 19 out of 23 break chances and stealing Federer's serve six times from 13 opportunities to cross the finish line first. Roger was super aggressive, just as in Cincinnati a few weeks earlier where he beat Djokovic in the final, finishing the encounter with much more winners than Novak, including those from forehand and backhand wings and the net. Still, the Swiss sprayed too many unforced errors, hurting his chances and that enormous number of break opportunities wasted in no less than 11 different return games!

In the 2015 US Open final, Novak Djokovic prevailed over Roger Federer in four sets.

Federer had the advantage in the shortest and mid-range exchanges, while Djokovic erased that deficit with the better performance in the longer rallies, repelling many of those break points after drawing Roger into more extended points where he had the upper hand. Federer sailed through the opening six matches, but Novak was a different kind of rival, forcing him to play against three break chances in the first game before Roger brought it home with a service winner. Djokovic held at love in game two and moved in front on the third break point a few minutes later when Federer sent a backhand long for the encounter's first break. Roger pulled the break back in the next game and held at love to move 3-2 in front. Novak broke again in game seven with a backhand down the line winner, passing the next game's obstacle to secure the game with a forehand winner for a 5-3 lead. Roger saved a set point in the ninth game to extend the set before Djokovic held at love at 5-4 to seal the opener in 41 minutes.

The Serb repelled five break chances in the second game of the second set and had to dig deep at 4-5 as well, fending off two set points in the game with seven deuces to stay locked at 5-5. Roger finally scored a break in the 12th game to clinch the set 7-5 and level the overall score at 1-1 after an hour and 43 minutes, seizing his opportunities when it mattered the most and staying in contention for the title. Novak bounced back at the beginning of the third set, earning a break in game three after a weak forehand from Roger and staying in front only for a few minutes as Federer broke back in the next one when his rival netted a backhand. In one of the pivotal games, Djokovic repelled two break points at 3-4 and was awarded straight after, breaking Roger for a 5-4 lead after a loose backhand from the Swiss.

Novak saved a couple more break chances in the next game for a 6-4, moving a set away from the title and leaving Federer on three breaks from 17 opportunities at that moment! Carried by this momentum, Djokovic broke early in the fourth set, erasing a break point in game six and stealing Roger's serve again with a return winner in game seven for a 5-2. The Serb served for the match but Federer was not to be denied, pulling one break back with a volley winner and holding with a forehand winner in game nine to reduce the deficit to 4-5. Facing two break points in the tenth game, Novak fired two service winners and forced an error from Roger on the third match point, sealing the deal with another unreturned serve to bring the game home and celebrate his tenth Major crown. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2H0DPsC