Djokovic ties Sampras with 14th major singles title

Novak Djokovic, playing at Indian Wells last year, defeated Juan Martin del
Potro in straight sets today for his third U.S. Open title. Photo by Mal Taam

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   For Juan Martin del Potro, reaching the U.S. Open final was a tremendous victory in itself.
   But for Novak Djokovic, all that matters is Grand Slam titles.
   The sixth-seeded Djokovic beat the third-seeded del Potro 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 today in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., for his second consecutive major crown and 14th overall, tying Pete Sampras for third place all-time. They trail Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (17).
   It was Djokovic's third U.S. Open title in his record-tying eighth final at Flushing Meadows.
   Djokovic, a 31-year-old Serb, improved to 15-4 against del Potro, an Argentine who will turn 30 on Sept. 23. Djokovic has won the last four meetings and seven of the last eight. At 6-foot-2 (1.88 meters), he moves better than the 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) del Potro.
   Del Potro was playing in his second Grand Slam final. He shocked Nadal and Federer in the last two rounds of the 2009 U.S. Open.
   A right-hander with a two-handed backhand, del Potro considered retirement after undergoing four wrist operations (one right and three left) between 2010 and 2015.
   Djokovic has had his own injury issues. The right-hander missed last year's U.S. Open with a right elbow problem that subsequently required surgery.
   Williams fined -- Serena Williams was fined $17,000 for committing three code violations during her loss to Naomi Osaka, 20, in Saturday's women's final.
   Williams -- who has residences in Florida, Southern California and Silicon Valley -- was assessed $10,000 for verbal abuse of chair umpire Carlos Ramos, $4,000 for being coached and $3,000 for smashing her racket in anger.
   Williams won the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford in (2011, 2012 and 2014). The tournament moved to San Jose this year under a new sponsor, Mubadala.
   Women's doubles final -- No. 13 seeds Ashleigh Barty of Australia and CoCo Vandeweghe of Rancho Santa Fe in the San Diego area saved three match points in a 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6) victory over No. 2 seeds Timea Babos of Hungary and Kristina Mladenovic of France.
   Vandeweghe reached two Bank of the West singles finals (2012 and 2017) and won the doubles title at Stanford last year with countrywoman Abigail Spears.