Nadal not at his best in final loss

The U.S. Open's defending champion just didn't have enough defense, or offense, for that matter.

Rafael Nadal, the winner over Novak Djokovic in last year's final, fell to him Monday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Though he had the sellout crowd of more than 24,000 behind him, they couldn't make him serve harder, return better or hit the key ground strokes in a match of great quality.

After Nadal had beaten Andy Murray in the semifinals, he talked of how Djokovic had gotten into his head during a streak of five straight final defeats to him this year, including Wimbledon. Nadal won the only Grand Slam event that Djokovic didn't this season, at Roland Garros, but Roger Federer had done him the favor of eliminating Djokovic in the semifinals and then losing to him in the final.

Monday, he thought he had the mental toughness, just not the right shots at the right time.

"I fight until the last point," Nadal said. "I am happy with a lot of things, much happier than the previous matches against him."

Djokovic, the best returner of serve in the game, consistently kept Nadal off balance with returns at his feet or out wide. Nadal's serve hasn't seemed so penetrating this season and Djokovic's return has never been better. Nadal was broken 11 times and faced 26 break points during the match.

He served only two aces and hit few service winners. "His return is fantastic always, not [just] this year," Nadal said.

About his own serve, he said: "My serve worked bad tonight. about what I am not happy tonight, it's my serve for sure . . . I didn't have free points during all those games."

And after Djokovic started feeling back pain and took something off his serve, essentially serving second serves from midway through the third set, Nadal didn't step up to cut off angles or smash returns for winners.

During the rallies, Djokovic was there wherever Nadal hit the ball and subsequently had Nadal on a string, swinging him back and forth.

Djokovic hit 55 winners, Nadal 32. Nadal's typical hammering forehand was inconsistent, and he made too many errors trying to hit it inside out. His one core weapon, his absolute determination, never seemed to leave him until the championship point, when he returned a ball short that set up Djokovic's winning forehand. He never made a move to return it.

He lost, but he doesn't go back to Spain a loser.

"I am not one that feels a final is a bad result," Nadal said. "This year, I won another [major], Roland Garros. I lost six finals, but I was there."