Djokovic defeats Nadal to win US open

Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer on Saturday, beat Rafael Nadal and a bad back yesterday and put the final beatdown on his historic tennis year. Djokovic is the new King of Flushing and the tennis world. The Ashe Stadium crowd chanted “No-vak!” across yesterday’s glorious match, knowing it was watching history. Djokovic put the last stamp on arguably the most accomplished tennis year ever in surviving a four-set, four- hour baseline classic against the Spanish warrior Nadal. Laboring in the final set with a sore rib and a cranky back, Djokovic ascended to his first of what could be several U.S. Open titles with a ferocious 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1 victory, capturing his third Grand Slam of the year and extending his unbelievable 2011 record to 64-2. “What a match, what a year,” legend Martina Navratilova said to Djokovic’s photogenic girlfriend, Jelena Ristic, outside the champagne-soaked men’s locker room. “Enjoy it now because we may never see it again.”aid to Djokovic’s photogenic girlfriend, Jelena Ristic, outside the champagne-soaked men’s locker room. “Enjoy it now because we may never see it again.”