Novak Djokovic defeats Juan Martin del Potro for third US Open title

Djokovic now has 14 Grand Slam wins and equals Pete Sampras.

Photo courtesy: Twitter/@usopen

Noavk Djokovic defeated Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday to claim his third US Open title. He now has 14 Grand Slam championships to equal Pete Sampras and is three short of Rafael Nadal and six behind Roger Federer's record.

Djokovic, US Open champion in 2011 and 2015, beat del Potro in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 although the scoreline did not show the intense duel fought by both veterans. World number three del Potro showed a lot of heart and challenged his Serbian opponent - especially in the second set of what was a hotly contested battle. Known for his perseverance, Djokovic managed to keep his nose ahead to claim the title.

The match was played with emotions flowing freely - both on court and in the stands. The chair umpire had to call for order as supporters kept the decibel levels quite high - much like the emotional scenes from a night before when Serena Williams had a meltdown and lashed out against the chair umpire. She would lose the title clash to Japan's Naomi Osaka.

While Osaka defeated her idol Serena, for Djokovic, it was an emotional moment having reached Sampras' mark. "I want to say Pete, I love you, you're my idol," the 31-year-old said during the post-match ceremony.