US Open: A look at the last 5 men's singles champions

#4 Rafael Nadal (2017)

2017 US Open Champion Rafael Nadal poses with his trophy

Following a 5-set loss to his long-time rival Roger Federer at the 2017 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal ended a three-year Grand Slam drought by winning his tenth title at the French Open for his 15th career singles Grand Slam title.

Nadal arrived at the US Open as the world's top-ranked player and beat Alexandr Dolgopolov and first-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev to reach his first semi-final at the tournament in four years. Del Potro had thwarted a first-ever Federer-Nadal match-up at Flushing Meadows by beating the Swiss in a four-set last-eight clash, a result which allowed Nadal to hold on to his No. 1 ranking.

In his first US Open meeting with Del Potro since being allowed just six games in the 2009 semi-finals by the eventual champion, Nadal was not in the mood for a repeat result as he beat the Argentinian in four sets to move into his first US Open final since 2013.

In the title match, Nadal overwhelmed first-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson of South Africa in straight sets to win his first hardcourt title in almost four years, a third US Open title and his 16th Grand Slam.

Nadal's victory at Flushing Meadows meant that the duo of Federer and Nadal swept all four Grand Slam titles in the calendar for the first time since the 2010 season.