What More Can I Say?

Especially for one who doesn't recap matches and tries to focus on line scores and rankings and similar stuff, the last several months, save the grass season, has been spent simply incrementing numbers in the statistics for Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.  Undoubtedly both will now be year-end world no. 1 and the player of the year on their respective tours.  For Nadal, the question will be whether he can finally crack the code of the World Tour Finals.  For Serena, we look forward to the year end championships where likely Azarenka will get another shot, although they could also meet again in Tokyo or Beijing.

Rafael Nadal def. Novak Djokovic 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1

-Nadal wins his 60th career title, 10th of 2013, last '13 Cincinnati
-It is his 15th hard court title
-It is his 13th major title, placing him 3rd on the all-time list behind Federer and Sampras
-It is his 2nd US Open title and 3rd major on hard courts
-He is undefeated on hard courts during 2013
-He is a mere 130 points behind Djokovic and since he is defending any points the rest of the year, a miracle would be required for him not to finish the year as world no. 1

This summer and this US Open title has Nadal's 2013 in the conversation for one of the best seasons ever, though missing the Aussie Open and going out in the first round of Wimbledon are big strikes against it.  But more importantly, I think the past few months have really inserted him into the conversation of being the best player ever.  This year he is 60-3 with losses to Zeballos in Vina del Mar, Djokovic in Monte Carlo, and Darcis at Wimbledon.  Now I suppose we see if he carries this winning through to Asia and indoor events, where in the past he has not been good.  I'm curious to see if he can win in London at the World Tour Finals, where he has a losing record (9-10) and has only reached the final once.

Serena Williams def. Victoria Azarenka 7-5 6-7(6) 6-1

-Serena wins her 55th career title, 9th of 2013, last '13 Toronto
-It is her 17th major title
-It is her 5th US Open title and 10th major win on hard courts.
-She is still 6th all time behind Court, Graf, Moody, Evert, and Navratilova
-She is 67-4 on the year.
-She is over 2700 points ahead of Azarenka so one would expect her to be able to win the year end no. 1 fairly easily, though she is defended year end championship points.

Serena is having one of her best, if not her very best, seasons even at her advanced age.  Azarenka is the only player who has been close to her, especially on hard courts.  If it weren't for losses to Stephens and Lisicki at the Aussie Open and Wimbledon, this year could have been even more impressive.  Azarenka is the only player who has beaten her at a tour event.  And I'm really not sure what else there is say.

I'll get a Davis Cup preview up in a couple days, hopefully, as the tennis world quickly spins from one event to another.  I probably won't another top 10 by birth year ranking until the end of the season.