Djokovic Defeats Nadal in US Open Final

Djokovic Claims First Grand Slam Title

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 on Monday night in the final of the 2010 US Open. The victory is Djokovic's first Grand Slam title and makes him the first Serbian man to win a major tennis tournament.

Nadal was seeking to become just the seventh man in tennis history to win all four Grand Slam tournaments in a calendar year. He entered the match as a heavy favorite, but Djokovic played a near-flawless match, hitting 37 winners to Nadal's 27 and making just 18 unforced errors.

"I'm just overwhelmed with joy," Djokovic said. "It's a dream come true. I've worked so hard for this my entire life."

Nadal was gracious in defeat, saying, "Novak played an unbelievable match. He deserved to win." It was the first time Nadal had lost a Grand Slam final since the 2007 Wimbledon final.

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The victory is a major breakthrough for Djokovic, who had been considered one of the best players in the world for several years but had yet to win a Grand Slam title. It also marks the end of Nadal's dominance of the men's game. Nadal had won 10 of the last 12 Grand Slam tournaments and had been ranked No. 1 in the world for the past two years.