US Open Tennis 2019: Men's Final Winner, Score and Twitter Reaction
Sep 8, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning his Men's Singles final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia on day fourteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The 33-year-old defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final of the 2019 U.S. Open to earn his 19th Grand Slam title Sunday in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Nadal appeared to be in cruise control after winning the first two sets. Then Medvedev turned the tables and won the next two to push the match to a decisive fifth set. In total, the match needed four hours, 49 minutes to determine a victor.
5 sets in nearly 5 hours...
An EPIC way to win your 4th title in Flushing Meadows!
Now, Nadal only needs one more Grand Slam championship to tie Roger Federer for the most ever by a men's singles player. Whereas Federer once felt a class above in the discussion of the greatest male player in tennis history, Nadal might ultimately move ahead.
If Nadal maintains the head to head advantage and catches Federer overall, what’s the argument Federer is better?
Nadal has 19 majors. Federer has 20. After the French, Nadal could be at 20. Nadal has a winning record against Federer head to head (24-16). If Nadal’s resume is better than Federer’s then isn't Nadal… the greatest male tennis player of all time???
The French Open is the major tournament most synonymous with the Spaniard because he has lifted the winner's trophy 12 times at Roland-Garros. After Sunday, he's a four-time U.S. Open champion, an achievement that shouldn't go overlooked.
After it was the last Grand Slam he conquered, and after all the complaining he's done about hard courts, Nadal has improbably become the best #USOpen player of the decade, winning four titles here between 2010 and 2019.
It won't help ease the sting from his defeat, but the 23-year-old Medvedev made a huge impression in his first Grand Slam final. Many wrote him off completely after the second, and he pushed Nadal to the brink.
Even the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium couldn't help but cheer Medvedev, who earlier in the tournament goaded the New York crowd into booing him even louder.
I know next to nothing about tennis but I know enough to have fallen in love with this Medvedev kid. Threw the match on with the intent to watch for 10 minutes. That was 3 hours ago. #USOpen
The men's singles final had a little bit of everything.
In addition to the on-court drama, fans witnessed a legend celebrate another memorable moment in what will be a Hall of Fame career. In Medvedev, the 2019 U.S. Open might have positioned a star who can help carry the mantle when Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic step aside.
Nadal vs. Medvedev: Highlights, Comments, Stats and Prize Money
Sep 8, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning his Men's Singles final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia on day fourteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal is one Grand Slam title away from tying Roger Federer's all-time record after claiming his 19th Sunday at the U.S. Open by topping fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4.
It took four hours and 49 minutes for No. 2 Nadal to discard Medvedev, and how much the gutted-out victory meant to him was painted all over his face afterward in a way that aligned with how Jimmy Connors described him earlier in the day:
Jimmy Connors on the grounds. Love his line about about Nadal: "Even at this stage in career, he plays like he's broke." #USOpen
As mentioned by commentators Chris Fowler and John McEnroe on the ESPN broadcast, this one will mean even more to Nadal because of the unexpected way it played out against the new world No. 4.
Nadal showed some vulnerability to start the match with his first-serve percentage at sub-40 early in the first set. His first-service game even warranted an explanation because of a time violation—an issue that would persist for Nadal throughout the match:
Nadal got called for a time violation in his FIRST service game, which is stunning. This Tweet from the US Open is part of the tournament's initiative to be more transparent about officiating in the aftermath of last year's women's final https://t.co/DB7WyAc61P
However, Medvedev didn't pounce on the 33-year-old Spaniard taking time to settle into top form. Despite his slow start, Nadal finished winning 77 percent of his first serves and 77 percent of possible net points—edging Medvedev in both categories.
Medvedev, in his first career Grand Slam final, showed his inexperience early on and finished with 57 unforced errors. He double-faulted four times, but those were outweighed by 14 aces—bringing his tournament-leading total to 102.
The 23-year-old Russian began by consistently lobbing his drop shots too high, which allowed Nadal enough time to reach them. Nadal pulled away to a two-set lead at least in part because he took advantage of Medvedev's court positioning.
And then Medvedev truly arrived in the third set, battling out grueling rally after grueling rally to launch an inspired comeback to force a fifth and final set:
It’s only the 4th time in last 30 years that US Open final goes to 5th set 1999 Agassi-Martin 2009 Del Potrò-Federer 2012 Murray-Djokovic 2019 Nadal-Medvedev
From there, the intensity mounted. Medvedev began hitting the drop shots he was previously missing as well as moving Nadal around the court the way he was previously being moved. A critical turning point came when Nadal, down 40-0 and ready to concede a 3-2 lead in the fifth set, ended up taking the 3-2 lead.
But, just as he did down two sets to none, Medvedev saved two match points before Nadal was finally able to put him away.
Nadal was undoubtedly shaken off his game after the third set—blaming crowd noise and holding up Medvedev and costing himself with more time violations—but adjusted throughout to outlast Medvedev. He has done that way more times than not:
🇪🇸 @RafaelNadal is 44-1 this year after winning the first set.
On top of his dominance when jumping out to a one-set lead, Nadal is now 209-1 all-time when winning the first two sets. And for winning his fourth career U.S. Open title (2010, '13, '17, 19), Nadal added $3.85 million to his pocketbook. Medvedev will leave New York City with $1.9 million more than what he came with. Below is the full payout table, courtesy of the tournament's official website.
Men's and Women's Singles Payouts Per Player
Winner: $3,850,000
Runner-Up: $1,900,000
Semifinalists: $960,000
Quarterfinalists: $500,000
Round of 16: $280,000
Round of 32: $163,000
Round of 64: $100,000
Round of 128: $58,000
While not the result Medvedev wanted, dropping to 0-5 in five-setters all-time, he has plenty to be proud of from Flushing Meadows and his play leading up to it:
Medvedev in 2019: Cincinnati M1000 W Sofia 250 W Montreal M1000 F Barcelona 500 F Washington 500 F Brisbane 250 F US Open SF* Monte Carlo M1000 SF Rotterdam 500 SF Queen's Club 500 SF
Medvedev went from the tournament's villain in the earlier rounds to earning respect from a pro-Nadal crowd at the final, who cheered his efforts, chanted his name and gave him a standing ovation when he won the third set.
Following his loss, Medvedev endeared himself to the crowd even more:
However, the long-term conversation will revolve around Nadal and Federer and which one reigns as the best men's tennis player in the world, now or ever. Do we really have to wait until January for the Australian Open?
US Open Tennis 2019: Updated Prize Money Payouts from New York
Sep 8, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates a point during the third set of his Men's Singles final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia on day fourteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal earned his 19th career Grand Slam title with Sunday's win over Daniil Medvedev at the 2019 U.S. Open, securing another huge payday in the process.
A 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the final came with $3.85 million for the Spaniard to continue what has already been an incredible career. It's the fifth time the 33-year-old has won multiple majors in a single season.
After dropping only one set on his way to the final in New York, Nadal required a lot more energy against Medvedev. The veteran survived a five-set battle after his opponent stormed back from a two-set deficit, showcasing excellent resolve down the stretch.
Though Medvedev kept fighting back, Nadal was able to come through with some excellent play in the fifth set to win a classic that lasted four hours and 49 minutes:
Rafael Nadal wins his 4th US Open title and 19th Grand Slam singles title with an exhausting, thrilling 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6 6-4 victory over Daniil Medvedev in four hours and 51 minutes. I think we all have just enough energy for one more standing ovation. They deserve it.
This tournament was a breakout performance for several young players, especially with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer suffering relatively early defeats. Stan Wawrinka also couldn't build off his win over Djokovic and fell in the quarterfinals.
The upsets allowed Matteo Berrettini to come through with his first semifinal appearance at a Grand Slam after reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this year. The 23-year-old won a pair of smaller tournaments in 2019, but this performance will provide a nice boost to his No. 25 ranking and total purse for the year.
Grigor Dimitrov had proved himself a serious threat to the big names in the past, but he had struggled mightily in 2019 with just a 12-15 record going into the U.S. Open. Though he only made the quarterfinals in a single tournament—the Brisbane International in January—he somehow advanced to the semifinals in New York to help salvage the season.
Of course, the largest prizes went to the two finalists, both of whom have earned quite a bit of money during great seasons.
Nadal was clearly the bigger name as one of the top players of all time, continuing his elite play this year with another French Open title and two more tournament wins. However, Medvedev had been nearly as good over the summer with three straight finals appearances and a win at the Western & Southern Open.
While the Russian had never reached a majors quarterfinal before this week, he broke through in a big way to reach the final before narrowly falling to Nadal. Even in defeat, he showed his talent during his comeback.
Just some incredible angles being hit by Medvedev. Has so much fight in him.#USOpen
Medvedev should remain an elite threat for the rest of the season with a few more ATP Tour Masters tournaments left on the calendar, while next year's Grand Slams will also be in his grasp.
Meanwhile, Nadal clearly isn't slowing down despite his age. He has been more dominant in the past, but his effort in the fifth set Sunday was truly inspiring.
He is now just one away from Federer for the most majors in men's tennis history.
Semifinalists: Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina ($960,000)
Quarterfinalists: Donna Vekic, Elise Mertens, Johanna Konta, Qiang Wang ($500,000)
A lot of the focus was on Serena Williams, who has now lost in four straight Grand Slam finals as she sits at 23 major career singles championships. Of course, her consistency remains incredible with few early defeats at the New York event.
The American has entered the U.S. Open 10 times since 2008 and has reached at least the semifinals every time, including four wins.
Still, a lot of credit should go to Bianca Andreescu, who was nearly unstoppable throughout the tournament with five straight-set wins in seven matches. She beat four seeded players, including the 6-3, 7-5 final win over Williams.
The performance was enough to land her $3.85 million, a nice payday for the 19-year-old.
"I've never held that much money in my life," Andreescu said after the match, per Richard Osborn of the tournament's official site.
The Canadian had just $2,417,873 in career prize money before the start of this tournament.
Andreescu also enjoyed the trophy that came with her win:
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
🇨🇦Bianca Andreescu arrives at the Rockefeller Center in New York to show off her #USOpen championship trophy. pic.twitter.com/TcaERDYrSh
Given her all-around ability, this could be just the start of a great career in women's singles.
The rest of the tournament was a relatively disappointing one for top seeds such as Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep. The Americans also could've had a better showing on their home ground with three losses in the round of 16.
That allowed Belinda Bencic to reach her first career Grand Slam semifinal and Elina Svitolina to get there for the second time, netting $960,000 for each competitor.
Coco Gauff earned $163,000 after losing to Osaka in the third round, continuing an impressive start to the 15-year-old's career.
Rafael Nadal Defeats Daniil Medvedev to Win 2019 US Open Men's Final
Sep 8, 2019
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after scoring a point against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Rafael Nadal is a U.S. Open champion for the fourth time in his career.
The No. 2 seed in this year's tournament defeated the fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set showdown in Sunday's final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York; 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4. It is the 19th Grand Slam title of his legendary career, bringing him within one of Roger Federer for the all-time lead.
While Medvedev reached the final without playing Federer or Novak Djokovic after the former lost to Grigor Dimitrov and the latter retired against Stan Wawrinka—in the quarterfinals and the fourth round, respectively—he was not fortunate enough to make it through the entire tournament without facing one of the sport's Big Three.
Nadal made him pay, following up his titles in 2010, 2013 and 2017 with another U.S. Open championship.
5 sets in nearly 5 hours...
An EPIC way to win your 4th title in Flushing Meadows!
The victor needed nearly five hours and a grueling fifth set to dispatch Medvedev after appearing to be in full control when he won the opening two sets. The championship appeared to slip through Nadal's grasp when he lost the third and fourth sets to a challenger 10 years his junior, but he prevailed in multiple long rallies in the decisive one to once again seize the momentum.
Nadal saved three break points in his first service game of the fifth set, unleashed an incredible backhand to the corner to end an extended rally and earn the first break, and then found himself in full control when Medvedev sailed a smash long and lost another break.
BREAK 💪@RafaelNadal digs deep and finds a way to break Medvedev!
While Medvedev earned a break back with the help of Nadal's time violations, the Spaniard finally put him away with the serve.
Even in defeat, the Russian impressed in his quest for a first Grand Slam title. He had never advanced past the round of 32 in this tournament and lost to Nadal in their only other career head-to-head matchup in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 Canada earlier this year.
There was a clear advantage on paper for the eventual champion, but Medvedev fully established himself as a household name in New York.
In addition to a straight-sets win over Dimitrov in the semifinals and a victory over Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, he generated headlines through his interactions with the fans. Louisa Thomas of the New Yorker called him the tournament's "antihero" for exchanging barbs with the booing supporters and thanking them for providing energy and motivation to advance.
The boos largely came after Medvedev threw his racket and flipped off an umpire, and he seemed to thrive in the trolling role.
Still, Nadal was the biggest story and wasted little time establishing control of the match. He notched a critical early break after he lost two of the first three games and then broke again to avoid a tiebreaker and win the first set 7-5.
It was an ideal start for the champion looking to take advantage of previous exits from Federer and Djokovic in the race for the most Grand Slams in history. Federer has 20 and Djokovic has 16, but Nadal insisted he is still pleased with his career wherever he ends on that list.
"Of course, I would love to be the one who achieves more Grand Slams, but I still sleep very well without being the one who has more Grand Slams," Nadal said, per Jim Slater of Agence France-Presse (h/t Yahoo Sports). "I am happy about my career. I am very happy about what I'm doing. I'm going to keep working hard to try to produce chances. Sunday is one. It's just one more chance, that's all. My opponents are going to keep playing."
Keep playing is exactly what Medvedev did.
Even though Nadal cruised to a 6-3 win in the second set with a single break, the runner-up showed plenty of fight when he battled from down a break in the third set with his back against the wall. He broke right back to make it 3-3 and prevented a tiebreak with another break to win the set 7-5.
Medvedev turns from foil to scrappy underdog in one set.
Medvedev appeared to be the fresher player entering the fourth set, which was a testament to his durability. Even with the age advantage, he was playing in his fourth consecutive final.
He ensured the durability would be tested even more by forcing the decisive set with a single break in the fourth set. Suddenly, it was Medvedev controlling the match with his serve and taking advantage of limited break opportunities in a complete reversal from the first two sets.
There would be one more switch, though, as Nadal found his serve in crunch time and won 85 percent of his first-service points in the fifth set, per the U.S. Open's official website. Between that and the two break points he won, there was no stopping the 19-time Grand Slam winner with the championship hanging in the balance.
US Open Tennis 2019 Men's Final Live Stream for Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev
Sep 8, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to a missed point during his Men's Singles semi-final match against Matteo Berrettini of Italyon day twelve of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2019 in Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chaz Niell/Getty Images)
Two generations will collide on Sunday when Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev contest the 2019 U.S. Open men's final at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Medvedev, 23, will make his debut appearance in a Grand Slam final after previously failing to reach even a major quarter-final. Nadal, on the other hand, will feature in the U.S. Open decider for a fifth time (three wins) and his 27th Grand Slam final overall.
The 33-year-old favourite last won the U.S. Open in 2017, when he beat Kevin Anderson in straight sets. As was the case then, Nadal will hope to soundly best another opponent making his Grand Slam final bow.
Bianca Andreescu beat Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday to lift the women's title in her first major final, and Medvedev will be hopeful he can follow her lead to defeat another legendary foe.
The 2019 U.S. Open will not be broadcast on television in the United Kingdom, although Amazon Prime will provide live-stream coverage of the tournament.
Preview
Nadal has wound back the clock in 2019 and is looking to end the year level with Novak Djokovic on two majors as they prepare for the ATP Tour Finals in November.
The three-time champion has been impressed by Medvedev's form on the North American circuit this summer and appears to be wary of his talent regardless of this being the Russian's first major final.
Amazon Prime previewed a clash that has the makings of a classic if Medvedev can rise to the occasion:
Rafael Nadal 🆚 Daniil Medvedev in the #USOpen men’s final
As well as playing one less match than Medvedev during this tournament following a second-round walkover against Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nadal has been quite fortunate in the opposition he's met in New York.
His highest-seeded opponent in the competition was Diego Schwartzman (No. 20) in the quarter-finals. However, he has faced and beaten three seeded foes at Flushing Meadows, while Medvedev has faced just one (Stanislas Wawrinka), suggesting the Spaniard has had the more difficult route of the two.
Medvedev has engineered a reputation for having an awkward style to play against. Stefanos Tsitsipas previously told reporters the Russian's approach is "weird" and "sloppy," but the 18-year veteran Nadal will back his range of talents against the first-time Grand Slam finalist.
It worked a treat when these two played out their only previous meeting at this year's Canadian Open in Montreal, where the world No. 2 ran out a dominant 6-3, 6-0 victor. Tennis TV shared highlights:
Former world No. 4 Greg Rusedski predicted Nadal would have the keys to unlock Medvedev once again on Sunday:
I believe @RafaelNadal will win his 19th major today. His serve average on 1st serve is up 4mph & 2nd serve is up 9mph. Always improving.Heavy favourite to win today. Going to make it very physical today ,dictate and break down the forehand of Medvedev as he did in Montreal pic.twitter.com/9Wky43tRU0
The U.S. Open is Nadal's second-most fruitful major after his 12 titles at Roland-Garros. He stands a fine chance of adding a fourth crown in New York.
Medvedev has demonstrated the form to suggest he will contest more major finals in the years to come, though Nadal is out to prevent the Russian from clinching his first Grand Slam on Sunday.
US Open Tennis 2019: Men's Final TV, Live Stream Info and Replay Schedule
Sep 8, 2019
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after winning the first set against Matteo Berrettini, of Italy, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev will contest the final of the men's draw at the 2019 U.S. Open on Sunday. Both players have been in exceptional form at Flushing Meadows, but three-time winner Nadal has the edge in experience and is pursuing a 19th Grand Slam title.
Nadal last won this competition in 2017, but the Spaniard has rarely looked this good, dropping just one set en route to the final. It's been a similar story for Medvedev, although the Russian has trodden a more protracted path to the showpiece, being pushed to four sets on four separate occasions.
Medvedev's progress has still been impressive, particularly during the past two rounds, during which he saw off Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov, respectively.
Encore presentation available on ESPN2 from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET Sunday. Also available on the Tennis Channel from 11 a.m. ET Monday, September 9.
Nadal will be fancied to triumph, yet the 33-year-old is taking nothing for granted against a player enjoying the kind of purple patch Medvedev is experiencing.
Medvedev's list of vanquished opponents is not lost on Nadal, who applauded his opponent's achievements in 2019, per Kevin Mitchell of TheObserver:
"His summer is almost perfect: final in Washington (where he lost to Nick Kyrgios), final in Montreal (where Nadal beat him 6-3, 6-0), winning Cincinnati (in two sets against David Goffin after beating Djokovic in the semis), final here. He is the player who is in the best shape on tour. I will face the player who is winning more matches than anyone else this year (44 of 60), the player who is playing at the highest level."
A formidable serve has been the foundation of Medvedev's success. It's something he has leaned on during this tournament, hitting 88 aces, per the competition's official website.
Breaking the Russian's serve will require all of Nadal's guile. He wasn't always at his best during Friday's win over Matteo Berrettini in the last four, barely surviving a tiebreak to win the first set.
But Nadal held his nerve and manufactured enough winning shots to book his place in the final. The Spaniard's forehand remains a weapon not many players have an answer for, while he's making few errors on his own serve, with Berrettini failing to claim a single break point.
If Nadal can keep his cool amid a likely early onslaught from Medvedev, he will make the telling shots to settle this final.
Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev: Career Stats, Prediction for 2019 Men's Final
Sep 8, 2019
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after winning the first set against Matteo Berrettini, of Italy, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
The 2019 US Open men's final will pit veteran star Rafael Nadal against Russia's Daniil Medvedev, one of the sport's top talents and fastest rising starlets.
The two are 10 years apart and at drastically different points in their careers. Nadal is looking for his 19th Grand Slam title; Medvedev is making his major final debut.
The 33-year-old Nadal has won 83 total titles, compared to Medvedev's five. At the age of 23, his win-loss record stands at 116-71; Nadal's is an astonishing 960-196.
Nadal beat Matteo Berrettini to reach the final:
Medvedev also needed just three sets in his win over Grigor Dimitrov:
The two have met just once, in the final of the Rogers Cup earlier this year. Nadal lost just three games in that contest, and will rightly enter Sunday's final as the clear favourite.
But Medvedev is on an incredible run on the hard courts this summer, carrying a 20-2 record into the final. Tennis writer Jose Morgado noticed similarities between him and Bianca Andreescu, who upset Serena Williams in the women's final:
Medvedev will be seeking a similar upset against a man who has seen it all at this point. Nadal is a three-time champion at Flushing Meadows, with his most recent title coming in 2017.
He'll be playing in his third Grand Slam final of the year, going 1-1 in the first two:
Rafael Nadal will be playing in his third Grand Slam final of the year and will be looking for his 19th major title overall when he takes on Daniil Medvedev in the #USOpen men's singles final. pic.twitter.com/wu2mlSgr8V
He lost the final of the Australian Open to Novak Djokovic, before beating Dominic Thiem to clinch the French Open title.
Nadal is 41-6 so far this year, while Medvedev has three more wins and 10 more losses. Both have won the last tournament they entered: Nadal at the Rogers Cup, and Medvedev at the Western & Southern Open.
The Spaniard has dropped just a single set so far in the tournament, in his fourth-round clash with Marin Cilic. Medvedev has needed four sets to win four of his six US Open matches, spending significantly more time on court.
Prediction: Nadal's experience on the biggest stage makes him the clear favourite, and while Medvedev is in excellent form, the skill gap is just too great. Nadal wins in four sets.
US Open Tennis 2019 Men's Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev Preview
Sep 8, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates a point during his Men's Singles semi-final match against Matteo Berrettini of Italy on day twelve of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2019 in Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal will meet Daniil Medvedev in the 2019 U.S. Open final on Sunday in a battle between one of the most decorated stars in tennis and a rising force making his debut on this stage.
Medvedev, 23, had never advanced past the fourth round of a Grand Slam prior to this tournament—never mind reaching the last—and will test his mettle against Nadal, who will make his 27th major final appearance.
Nadal, 10 years Medvedev's senior, has won three of his four previous U.S. Open finals and will be hoping to make his experience over the underdog count on Sunday.
The Spaniard was commanding in 6-3, 6-0 win over Medvedev in their only previous clash at the Rogers Cup in August.
Preview
Nadal and Medvedev recorded straight-sets victories in the semi-finals to secure their places in Sunday's decider. The former bested 24th seed Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-1 to reach his fifth U.S. Open final, while Medvedev topped Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3.
There's little debating the point that Nadal looked the more confident in his semi-final, however, notching his fourth straight-sets win over the tournament in his fifth match at Flushing Meadows:
Nadal's walkover against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round means he's played one less match than Medvedev, who has played to four sets in four of his six outings in New York.
It's regular practice for a fit and firing Nadal, who is enjoying some of the best tennis he's played in the past five years and has convinced author Matt Zemek of his return to the peak of his powers:
Rafael Nadal -- whose longevity was questioned by idiots such as myself 4 years ago, in 2015 -- has just made 3 major finals in 2019 and is one win away from a fourth #USOPEN title and a fifth hardcourt major, not to mention 19 major titles.#Rafa#AccentUSO
Sunday's final will see a seasoned veteran take on a precocious upstart, and Medvedev could hardly have asked for a more difficult opponent for his maiden Grand Slam final appearance.
The odds are stacked against the Russian, who would be in rare territory if he manages to topple the world No. 2, per Gracenote Olympic:
Tennis🎾 - @DaniilMedwed (1st final) faces Rafael Nadal (27th final) in the 2019 @USOpen men's final. The last man to win his maiden Grand Slam singles title was Marin Cilic five years ago at the 2014 US Open. #USOpen
The man standing opposite him on Sunday will be a different test altogether, however, and serves as a true barometer of whether he's ready to join the tennis elite.
Nadal has won 18 major crowns and dwarfs his final foe in pedigree, but the unpredictable Medvedev will hope to gain redemption for his Rogers Cup loss against the icon at Flushing Meadows.
US Open Tennis 2019 Results: Women's Final Score and Men's Final Predictions
Sep 7, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 07: Bianca Andreescu of Canada reacts during her Women's Singles final match against against Serena Williams of the United States on day thirteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 07, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Bianca Andreescu won the women's title at the 2019 U.S. Open after beating Serena Williams in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday. The 19-year-old got off to a fast start at Flushing Meadows in New York and frustrated Williams in her bid for a 24th Grand Slam title.
To her credit, Williams rallied from 5-1 down in the second set to level at 5-5 after winning three break points in a row. It was as close as Williams got, though, with Andreescu taking the next two games to win her first Grand Slam prize on her U.S. Open main draw debut.
Attention will now turn to the men's final on Sunday, where another upstart player could be primed to produce an upset against a marquee name when Daniil Medvedev meets three-time winner Rafael Nadal.
Before then, Andreescu will naturally savour the moment after condemning Williams to defeat in the final for a second year running. Andreescu started the match in determined fashion and in no mood to waste time as she raced into a 4-1 lead.
The Canadian's backhand had been giving Williams plenty of problems:
Those errors put Andreescu in firm control of the set, even after her decorated opponent reduced the gap to 4-3. Andreescu took the next two games to close things out and began the next set in a similar fashion.
Williams was finding it difficult to hold serve:
BREAK 🇨🇦 BREAK 🇺🇸 BREAK 🇨🇦 HOLD 🇨🇦
Bianca Andreescu breaks Serena Williams once again in the second set to move ahead.
Williams' comeback had the crowd in raucous voice, but Andreescu showed a calmness belying her younger years by regaining her composure at the crucial moment.
Medvedev Will Win the First Set
Medvedev has continued his productive form this calendar year by reaching another final. It hasn't been an easy ride, though, with the Russian being pushed to a fourth set on four separate occasions.
Each time he answered the challenge, beating Hugo Dellien, Feliciano Lopez, Dominik Koepfer and Stan Wawrinka. The pattern of needing a fourth set will continue against Nadal after Medvedev takes the opener on Sunday.
He's established a controlled and efficient game boosted by a strong serve. Medvedev's error-free and patient style has been frustrating his opponents into mistakes.
The straight-sets win over Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-final on Friday was a prime example. Dimitrov hit 39 winners compared to Medvedev's 22, but the Bulgarian was guilty of 46 unforced errors.
Medvedev will do enough to stymie the Nadal forehand early and edge his way to a win in the first set.
Nadal Will Claim 19th Grand Slam Title
He may fall behind after one, but Nadal will soon regain his composure to ultimately power his way to a 19th Grand Slam honour. The Spaniard has refined his playing style and gotten better with age:
Rafael Nadal has a chance to become the first man in the Open Era to win five major titles after his 30th birthday.
He would also join Jimmy Connors (1982-83) as the only men in that time to win multiple US Opens after turning 30 in the Open Era. pic.twitter.com/hsxRQTdd3r
Nadal knows how to set and manipulate the pace on these hard courts better than any player. He's also made a habit of delivering in the clutch, particularly during the semi-final win over Matteo Berrettini.
The first set appeared to be going the Italian's way on Friday before Nadal rescued a pair of set points and survived a tiebreak. Even though Berrettini hit more aces and winners, Nadal made only 18 unforced errors compared to his opponent's 44.
Count on Nadal keeping his cool when it counts on Sunday and denying Medvedev the title.
Prediction: Nadal wins 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
US Open Tennis 2019: Men's Final TV Coverage, Live Stream and Pick
Sep 7, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates his victory over Matteo Berrettini of Italy at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal will contest the U.S. Open title for a fifth time on Sunday against Grand Slam final debutant Daniil Medvedev, who is out to crown a successful 2019 with his maiden major.
Nadal, 33, won his third U.S. Open in New York two years ago and returns to the final at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center after defeating 24th seed Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-1 in the semis.
Medvedev has made it past the fourth round of a major for the first time in his career and faces a stiff task attempting to stop Nadal, who is chasing his 19th Grand Slam.
He beat Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in Friday's semi-final and is on the cusp of his biggest career accolade by a wide distance.
The Spaniard won his 12th French Open in June and lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, showcasing form to suggest he won't stop adding to his trophy cabinet any time soon.
The 2019 U.S. Open will not be broadcast on television in the United Kingdom, although Amazon Prime will provide live-stream coverage of the tournament.
Preview
Medvedev, 23, has emerged as the latest Next Gen prospect to challenge Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer, but the star trio have continued to thrive on the biggest stages in 2019.
The three veterans have accounted for six of the eight finalists at Grand Slams this year, with French Open runner-up Dominic Thiem the only other player along with Medvedev to contest a decider.
Injuries have taken their toll on Nadal for portions of his career, but he looks as good physically of late as he did in his earlier years.
ESPN Stats & Info highlighted his longevity and even improvement during his most recent years:
Rafael Nadal has a chance to become the first man in the Open Era to win five major titles after his 30th birthday.
He would also join Jimmy Connors (1982-83) as the only men in that time to win multiple US Opens after turning 30 in the Open Era. pic.twitter.com/hsxRQTdd3r
The second-round walkover against Thanasi Kokkinakis was a welcome blessing for Nadal, one that will have aided him racking up a record of four straight-sets wins in five matches at Flushing Meadows.
Though a decade younger, Medvedev will likely feel more drained after playing six matches—four of those went to four sets, while he defeated Dimitrov and Prajnesh Gunneswaran in three.
The clean sweep of Dimitrov in particular bodes well for the Russian ahead of his first major final:
Medvedev appears a confident character and didn't seem fazed when he was booed by the U.S. Open crowd during his 7-6 (1), 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 third-round win over Feliciano Lopez:
He could thrive as an underdog in what will be his first experience feeling pressure of this magnitude. Nadal, meanwhile, prepares for his 27th major final and returns to the scene of his 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 hammering of Kevin Anderson to take the 2017 title.
Medvedev has enjoyed the best year of his career thus far and has had particular success in North America-based tournaments, reaching finals in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati (where he won).
He's beaten the likes of Djokovic, Thiem and Marin Cilic in recent months. However, Jose Morgado underlined Nadal's renewed form in 2019 as he seeks to end 2019 as world No. 1:
Nadal is the biggest favorite to finish the year as #1 now. His season has been amazing and his first title came just in may, (latest 1st season title in 14 years):
AO F (Rotterdam R2) Indian Wells SF MCarlo SF Barcelona SF Madrid SF Rome W RG W Wimbledon SF Canada W USOpen F*
A shorter match suits the veteran and could give Nadal the best chance of utilising any extra energy he's got in reserve. Medvedev may be more tentative expending stamina early on, and Nadal's speed is sure to throw off Medvedev's awkward style.
Nadal breezed past the Russian 6-3, 6-0 to win the Montreal Open in August, and another straight-sets swatting could be on the cards if he finds his rhythm early.
