Martina Hingis and Jamie Murray dominate mixed doubles

  NEW YORK – World no. 1 Rafael Nadal and African-American player Sloane Stephens emerged victorious after defeating their respective opponents at the 2017 US Open men's and women's singles finals. Nadal, 31, considered the King of Clay for having won a clay court tournament (French Open) a record-setting 10 times, beat South African Kevin Anderson in three sets, 6-3 6-3 6-4, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium of the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York on Sunday. In the women's category, Stephens captured her first Grand Slam title after defeating compatriot Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday. Nadal now has three US Open titles and 16 Grand Slam wins. The Spaniard is behind Swiss tennis star Roger Federer who has won 19 Grand Slam titles. Nadal's 23 career appearances in Grand Slam finals is second also to Federer's 29. 2017 saw Nadal getting two Grand Slam titles – the French and US Open. Federer won the Australian and Wimbledon titles. "It's just unbelievable what happened this year, no?" Nadal said in an interview after the match. Nadal's victory at the US Open is bittersweet though as his uncle Toni Nadal is bowing out as Rafa's coach to focus on his work at Nadal's tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain. Former world no. 1 Carlos Moya joined Nadal's coaching team in December as Toni's replacement. "I can't thank him enough for all the things that he did for me. Probably, without him, I will never be playing tennis. It's great that I had somebody like him just pushing me all the time. I think because he was strong and he had that great motivation to practice with me since I was a kid, I was able to get through all these problems that I had during my career in terms of injuries," Nadal said. "That makes me stronger. I just say thank you very much to him because he's for sure one of the most important persons in my life." Anderson, 31, was the oldest first-time grand slam tournament finalist since Nikola Pilic, who reached the 1973 French Open for the first time at the age of 33 and the lowest-ranked US Open finalist since the inception of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings in 1973. Anderson told Nadal: "I know we're the same age, but I feel like I've been watching you my whole life. You've really been an idol of mine. It's tough playing you. You proved it again tonight. You're one of the great ambassadors of our sport." With regard his play at the US Open, Anderson said it had been an "amazing two weeks" for him. "It's been an amazing two weeks for me. Last year was difficult for me. It's tough when you're injured as a tennis player. The competition is so strong. To come back and make my first finals of a grand slam has been a special two weeks." Reports said Anderson is the first South African man to reach the US Open final in the Open Era after Cliff Drysdale who was runner-up at the US Championships in 1965. Anderson is also the first South African in a grand slam singles final since Kevin Curren at the 1984 Australian Open. The last South African to win a major is Johan Kriek, who won the 1981 Australian Open. Kriek represented the US when he won the 1982 Australian Open. Meanwhile, Stephens, 24, made history as she joins Kim Clijsters as the only unseeded US Open women's champions in the Open era. Stephens is world no. 83. "I should just retire now," Stephens said in jest. "I told Maddie I'm never going to be able to top this. I mean, talk about a comeback." Stephens was out for 11 months due to stress fracture in her left foot and returned to the sport at the Wimbledon last July but was eliminated in the first round. Keys, for her part, said: "Sloane is truly one of my favorite people and to get to play her was really special. Obviously I didn't play my best tennis today and was disappointed." "But Sloane, being the great friend that she is, was very supportive. And if there's someone I have to lose to today, I'm glad it's her." Stephens and Keys had a fun moment during the awarding ceremonies. When Stephens received her US$3.7 million winner's check, she grabbed Keys' arm and pretended to stop herself from fainting when she looked at the sum. In the mixed doubles category, Martina Hingis and Jamie Murray won the US Open mixed doubles title on Saturday, beating Michael Venus of New Zealand and Chan Hao-Ching of Taiwan, 6-1, 4-6, 10-8, in a match tiebreaker for their second Grand Slam title in two tournaments as a team. They first played together at Wimbledon and won that tournament's mixed doubles titles. They are non-committal though if they will still play together in the Australian Open in January. They said it is still a long way to go before the Australian Open and it also depends if both of them are healthy enough to play. Hingis is turning 37 at the end of the month. 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