 "US Open 2017: Rafael Nadal hailed by Twitterati as 'best Spanish athlete' after claiming 16th Grand Slam title")
Rafael Nadal earned his third US Open championship and the 16th Grand Slam title of his career with an easy 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Kevin Anderson. Nadal entered the 2017 Grand Slam season having not even appeared in a Grand Slam final for over two years, let alone winning a title. Now he ends it having reasserted himself, capped by a US Open final that shaped up as quite a mismatch.
Hoisting a Grand Slam trophy for the 16th time...
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2017
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆@RafaelNadal #USOpen pic.twitter.com/UAvcsP7MAG
Nadal and Anderson have known each other since they were 12 years old. But much like Nadal’s 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 win against Wawrinka at Roland Garros this year, the beauty of the US Open final was not in its competitiveness — not by a long shot — but in an appreciation for one participant’s absolute superiority.
Then and now...@KAndersonATP @RafaelNadal#USOpen pic.twitter.com/Gg3mTz5JcK
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2017
The World No 1 embraced his new trophy with a trademark love bite. After all, who wouldn’t want to sink one’s teeth into it after a sweet, sweet Grand Slam victory.
Biting Grand Slam titles since 2005. #Nadal #INSAT16BLE pic.twitter.com/W0Y1nKDmQF
— Pau Ferragut Massanet (@PauFerragut) September 10, 2017
Deservedly, there was a deluge of tweets hailing the Spanish virtuoso. From reverential contemporaries…
To step on Arthur Ashe with @RafaelNadal for my first Slam final was an honour. I look forward to sharing the court with you again soon 😊 pic.twitter.com/lojLczEeil
— Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) September 11, 2017
Impact Shorts
More ShortsFelicitaciones @RafaelNadal! Merecido campeón. 👏
— Juan M. del Potro (@delpotrojuan) September 10, 2017
Congratulations to @RafaelNadal on winning @usopen. Incredible athlete for all of us to keep getting inspired from. #VamosRafa
— Rohan Bopanna (@rohanbopanna) September 11, 2017
…to proud compatriot.
@RafaelNadal you are the best Spanish athlete in History!! #16thGrandSlam 🏆🐐🇪🇸
— Fernando Verdasco (@FerVerdasco) September 10, 2017
From WTA stars…
RAFAAAAAAAA 🙌❤👏🐂 !!!!!! #usopen #sweet16th #legend
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) September 10, 2017
Vam🏆🏆🏆s!!!
— Daria Kasatkina (@DKasatkina) September 10, 2017
Congrats to @RafaelNadal A Great and humble champion.. #16 GS's and still rising...👏👏👏
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) September 11, 2017
…to a major football club.
🇺🇸🏆🎾 #USOpen
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 10, 2017
Congratulations to @RafaelNadal, our honorary member, for winning his 16th Grand Slam title!#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/hjq7b8jVYb
The fact that Nadal and Swiss great Roger Federer had swept all the Grand Slams in the year was not lost on many.
When you win all 4 Grand Slams in 2017.
— Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) September 10, 2017
🇦🇺 Federer 🏆
🇫🇷 Nadal 🏆
🇬🇧 Federer 🏆
🇺🇸 Nadal 🏆
Simply remarkable! pic.twitter.com/AegMfjpDlI
Rog and Rafa sweeping the majors, two of the greatest ambassadors of our sport, surely the GOAT discussions must be put on hold for now :)?🐐
— Mahesh Bhupathi (@Maheshbhupathi) September 11, 2017
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the world's top two players for the first time since March 2011:
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) September 10, 2017
1. Nadal - 9,465
2. Federer - 7,505
#Fedal 🤘What a Slam year for tennis with #Federer & #Nadal splitting the 4 Slams, 2 each. These warhorses shall rule our ❤️ forever.#Rafa16 pic.twitter.com/DSshjY2a3P
— Kaushik LM (@LMKMovieManiac) September 11, 2017
Although it is interesting to note that…
Federer won Wimbledon without beating Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. Nadal has won the US without beating Federer, Djokovic and Murray.
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) September 11, 2017
He may not have faced top names en route to his 16th Grand Slam win, but given the quality of his performance at New York, it’s safe to say that the Spanish maestro has truly turned back the clock. And in some style at that.
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