Well, there's a reason why Rafael Nadal is No. 1 in the world. He dispatched of South African Kevin Anderson in straight sets to win his third US Open title and his 16th Grand Slam. We know he likes to take a bite out of the Big Apple keepsake and all his other sweet 16 hardware.
They're real, Rafa! But we still love it.
Biting Grand Slam titles since 2005. #Nadal #INSAT16BLE pic.twitter.com/W0Y1nKDmQF
β Pau Ferragut (@PauFerragut) September 10, 2017
This is Nadal's second major win of the year after the French Open in June. As for Wimbledon and Australia, those went to Roger Federer, who has won 19 Grand Slams.
Up high? Nope, down low is the way these two winners roll.
When you win all 4 Grand Slams in 2017.
β Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) September 10, 2017
π¦πΊ Federer π
π«π· Nadal π
π¬π§ Federer π
πΊπΈ Nadal π
Simply remarkable! pic.twitter.com/AegMfjpDlI
As for Big Kev, after his loss he gave a lovely acknowledgment to Nadal.
After losing in his first major final, Kevin Anderson, born 5/18/86, directed his first comment in the trophy ceremony to the US Open winner, Rafael Nadal, born 6/3/86. "I know we're the same age, but I feel like I've been watching you my whole life." Anderson, whose finalist check is more than double his previous YTD earnings of $884,378, said Nadal is an idol of his.
Not that Anderson didn't have his backers. By the looks of this envelope stack, the Fighting Illini alum had plenty of people pulling for him in the stands.
Kevin Anderson's ticket allocation for this afternoons' @usopen Final. And there's more than 1 ticket in each envelope!!ππΏπ¦ pic.twitter.com/R11RqHjE2k
β Rob Koenig (@RobKoenigTennis) September 10, 2017
Vamos Rafa
Nadal received his share of kudos from fellow countrymen and one of the most storied futbol teams ever.
I couldn't miss it!! Congrats @RafaelNadal for your #16th Grand Slam victory!! #Champion #UsOpen pic.twitter.com/l5w5sVWz28
β Pau Gasol (@paugasol) September 10, 2017
@RafaelNadal you are the best Spanish athlete in History!! #16thGrandSlam πππͺπΈ
β Fernando Verdasco (@FerVerdasco) September 10, 2017
πΊπΈππΎ #USOpen
β Real Madrid C.F.π¬π§ (@realmadriden) September 10, 2017
Congratulations to @RafaelNadal, our honorary member, for winning his 16th Grand Slam title!#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/hjq7b8jVYb
Ashe illuminati
How many A-list celebs can you fit in a box? Turns out, quite a few: Oscar winner Hilary Swank (middle left), Emmy winner Candice Bergen (top left), Grammy winner Tony Bennett (middle right) and some up-and-coming comedian named Jerry Seinfeld (top right). Noticeably absent? Milos.
#USOPENxESPN ΒΏPor quiΓ©n estarΓ‘n hinchado? Los actores @JerrySeinfeld y @HilarySwank y el cantante Tony Bennett en el Arthur Ashe. pic.twitter.com/kidVB3jCaJ
β ESPN Tenis (@ESPNtenis) September 10, 2017
And we have to give props to Christie Brinkley for rocking an actual throwback tennis sweater to a tennis final.
Nice to see @SeaBrinkley swinging by to attend the #USOpen final today! pic.twitter.com/iaqjxBE5gm
β US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2017
But our favorite brooding outsider, Matt Dillon, somehow scored the best seat in the house next to women's champ Sloane Stephens. Stay gold, Ponyboy! Wait, he was Dallas, but just to put things in perspective, Stephens was born a decade after "The Outsiders" hit theaters. Maybe she's a fan of another Dillon movie, "There's Something About Mary"? Well, she was only 5 years old when it was released.
Signing autographs as a Grand Slam champion π@SloaneStephens#usopen pic.twitter.com/8f41NHo2B9
β US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2017
Other notables who were repeat Open attendees and who took in Rafa's win on Sunday: Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, Vera Wang and Debra Messing, the Grace half of "Will & Grace."
Maje Martina
In the non-Ashe courts, Martina Hingis also had herself a weekend, winning her 24th and 25th Grand Slam titles with victories in mixed-doubles on Saturday and women's doubles on Sunday.
Is @mhingis the greatest doubles partner ever? @YungJan_Chan and @jamie_murray might say so. #USOpenππ
β Getty Images Sport (@GettySport) September 10, 2017
See more: https://t.co/e5EJHCs4Ol pic.twitter.com/7IXGlbpKfF
Who's got next?
As if the four women's semifinalists being from the U.S. wasn't enough to prove that American tennis is not only climbing but thriving, the girls' final came down to two on-the-rise Floridians. Amanda Anisimova, 16, won her first junior Grand Slam singles title against 13-year-old (yes, 13) CoCo Gauff. Not to be greedy, but we could totally get used to this.
Wonder women
Speaking of getting used to things, we're still processing sizzling Stephens and her comeback story this year for her first major championship.
BEST. DAY. EVER. πΊπΈπ pic.twitter.com/R8ARc09Qwb
β Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) September 10, 2017
And in the comrade congrats category, mad respect to Madison Keys and her response in defeat.
Until next year, New York! This one's been real.