US Open 2017's top 5 memories: Maria Sharpova's spectacular comeback, Rafael Nadal's 16th Slam title and more

New York: Rafael Nadal has long been king of the Paris clay but he was just as dominant on New York hard court on Sunday as he collected Grand Slam title number 16 with a clinical demolition of Kevin Anderson in the US Open final. Having captured his third title in New York, Nadal made it very clear to his rivals that he would indeed not be going away any time soon. Meanwhile, in the women’s singles event, Sloane Stephens routed American compatriot Madison Keys to win her first Grand Slam title. It was a memorable 61-minute triumph for Stephens, whose world ranking had plummeted to 957 at the start of the US summer series. The atmosphere was electric and noisy as ever at Flushing Meadows and it left us with some indelible moments. So, here’s a look at five unforgettable memories from the 2017 edition of US Open. Sharapova center stage on Slam return [caption id=“attachment_4031833” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Maria Sharapova reacts after upsetting second seed Simona Halep in their opening round match in US Open. AP[/caption] Maria Sharapova took center stage on opening night as the 30-year-old former World No 1 returned to Grand Slam tennis for the first time since the end of her 15-month doping ban. The Russian star, wearing a dazzling, crystal-encrusted dress, knocked out second seed Simona Halep 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. It was her 50th appearance at a major but first since the quarter-finals of the 2016 Australian Open and her first at the US Open for three years. “Behind this little black dress and the Swarovski crystals, there is a girl with a lot of grit and she’s not going anywhere,” said five-time major winner Sharapova. Sharapova was eventually defeated in the fourth round by Anastasija Sevastova. Nobody beats Youzhny 17 times, except Federer Explosive Russian Mikhail Youzhny laughed off his 17-0 losing record against Roger Federer, claiming that if his second-round capitulation had been a three-set match, he’d be celebrating a first win. The 35-year-old was hobbled by cramping as the five-time champion in New York came roaring back for a 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory. “I try to find positive things in this. I say OK, he’s beaten me 17 times but today it was closer. I say I beat him — in three sets,” Youzhny said. Marathon women American Shelby Rogers and 25th-seeded Australian Daria Gavrilova set a record of 3hr 33min for the longest women’s singles match played at the US Open. Rogers won the second-round tie 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) on a fifth match point in a final set that lasted 90 minutes. Their second-round tie on Court 10 went past the previous longest of the 3 hours and 23 minutes it took Johanna Konta to defeat Garbine Muguruza 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 in 2015. “It was always going to be me. I was always going to be in the records for the longest match somewhere. I’m not surprised,” said Gavrilova. Del Potro stars in Little Argentina [caption id=“attachment_4031837” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Juan Martin del Potro (R) shakes hands with Dominic Thiem after winning their match during the fourth round of US Open. AP[/caption] Spurred on by noisy supporters after two days of illness, Juan Martin del Potro saved two match points to outlast Dominic Thiem in an epic five-set thriller to reach the quarter-finals. The 28-year-old Argentine rallied past Austrian sixth seed Thiem 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 in an emotional fightback. Supporters wearing Argentina football jerseys and chanting “Ole, Ole, Ole” urged on their weary hero from the brink to a stunning endurance-test triumph, creating a Davis Cup-like atmosphere. “I came here trying to play the best I can and then when I see this crowd cheering for me, I was trying to play better every game,” said Del Potro, the 2009 champion who went on to beat Federer in the quarter-finals before losing to Rafael Nadal in the semis. Nadal, Stephens in final flourish Rafael Nadal raced to a third US Open title and 16th Grand Slam with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 rout of South African giant Kevin Anderson. The World No 1 added the US title to the record 10th French Open he captured in June. Old rival Roger Federer won the season’s other two Slams at the Australian Open, beating Nadal in the final, and Wimbledon. Nadal’s Grand Slam tally is just three behind Federer’s record 19. “It’s a very special two weeks for me. It’s unbelievable what has happened this year,” he said. Sloane Stephens took the women’s title, her first Slam crown, with a 6-3, 6-0 rout of US compatriot Madison Keys. She played an equally starring role in her post-match press conference which had reporters in fits of laughter. “Everyone has the cutest photos on the wall in here with this trophy and that’s what I remember seeing most,” Stephens said. “So when I was taking my pictures I was worried about my boob sweat because I was like this is a picture they are probably going to use and I look terrible.” With inputs from agencies