I owe Federer, Nadal: Djokovic
US Open champion says his matches with the two have made him the player that he is
Novak Djokovic was thrilled to match Pete Sampras with a 14th Grand Slam title at the US Open yesterday morning (Singapore time), but he said it's Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who have made him the player he is.
"Pete Sampras is one of the biggest legends ever to play the game," Djokovic said after earning a third US Open crown with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 victory over Juan Martin del Potro.
"He was my childhood idol. He was someone I was looking up to. The first actual thing I saw related to tennis on the TV was his first or second Wimbledon championship. That inspired me to start playing tennis.
"There is a lot of significance of me being now shoulder to shoulder in terms of Grand Slam wins with him."
The victory puts Djokovic three Slam wins away from Nadal's 17 and six behind Federer's record 20.
It will also see him rise to No. 3 in the world behind Nadal and Federer - the rankings again reflecting the "Big Three" status they have shared for so long.
Djokovic had tumbled down the rankings, slowed last year by an elbow injury and a loss of confidence that accompanied a 54-week title drought.
I feel like these guys, rivalries with these guys, matches with Federer and Nadal, have made me the player I am.Novak Djokovic, on his rivalry with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Since bursting out of the slump with an unexpected Wimbledon title, he has gone from strength to strength, adding a long-awaited Cincinnati Masters title to his resume before adding the US Open title to those he won in 2011 and 2015.
Djokovic faced neither of his greatest rivals en route to the title in Flushing Meadows.
Seeded to meet Federer in the quarter-finals, he found himself instead across the net from John Millman after the Australian stunned the Swiss great.
Nadal hobbled out of a semi-final match against del Potro after two sets. Djokovic would have relished taking on either, although he admits that early in his career, that wasn't always the case.
"Maybe 10 years ago, I would say I'm not so happy to be part of this era with Nadal and Federer," he said. "Today I really am. I feel like these guys, rivalries with these guys, matches with Federer and Nadal, have made me the player I am, have shaped me into the player I am today. I owe it to them."
Although he was riding high coming into the Open, Djokovic was among those struggling with crushing heat and humidity in the first week.
He needed four sets to get past Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the first round and another to beat American Tennys Sandgren in the second.
He picked up the pace with straight-set victories over France's Richard Gasquet, Portugal's Joao Sousa, Millman and 2014 finalist Kei Nishikori to arrive at a title tilt with good friend del Potro. - AFP
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