Rafael Nadal seemed to have Novak Djokovic right where he wanted him in the first set of the 2011 U.S. Open men’s final on Monday. The Spaniard was already up a break and now had two more chances to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Instead, Djokovic held serve and turned the set around.
Novak Djokovic Dominates Rafael Nadal In First Set Of U.S. Open 2011 Final
By the time the set was over, Djokovic had grabbed control, winning the set’s final six games to steal momentum away. In the set, Djokovic used just about every shot in his arsenal to keep Nadal off balance. He struck two aces, had 12 winners, including two beautifully executed drop shots, and watched Nadal struggle mightily on his serve.
Djokovic won an astounding 53 percent of his receiving points, breaking Nadal three times and earning seven break points. Nadal only managed to win 50 percent of the points in which he got his first-serve in.
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