Nadal closes in on 'golden slam'

Nadal closes in on 'golden slam'

Only the US Open stands between red-hot Rafael Nadal and a rare opportunity to complete the "golden slam" at next year's Australian Open.

Nadal outgunned Fernando Gonzalez 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 in the men's singles final in Beijing to keep alive his hopes of achieving one of the most extraordinary feats in tennis.

Only legendary German Steffi Graf has held all four major trophies plus the Olympic title simultaneously, having triumphed at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open and Seoul Games in 1988.

If Nadal continues his utter domination of the men's game with success at Flushing Meadows next month, the 22-year-old Spaniard will join the most exclusive club in tennis.

Graf's husband, Andre Agassi, could consider himself an associate member, having also won all four slams plus Olympic singles gold - but he never had possession of all at once.

Few would be betting against Nadal becoming a bona fide member at Melbourne Park, if he were to prevail in New York.

The reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals at the US Open, which starts on Monday week.

But he has taken his game to another level this season and will arrive in the Big Apple having won 38 of his last 39 matches, including 16 on hard courts - and as the new world No.1.

Nadal will officially end Roger Federer's record 237-week reign on Monday and even the brilliant Swiss accepts tennis has a worthy new king.

"I've known for over a week now about the No.1 ranking. But it's fine. Rafa played great to get it," Federer said after teaming with Stanlislas Wawrinka to win his own Olympic gold medal in the doubles.

"That's what I expected and hoped for many years ago when I got to No.1, that if ever somebody were to take it away from me, he would have to play an incredible tennis schedule, win the biggest tournaments, dominate the game basically, and then like this he can take No.1.

"I didn't want it to happen that I would play completely bad and somebody would pick up No.1 in the world. So I think Rafa totally deserves it."

As Nadal's latest victim, Gonzalez had to settle for silver, which completed his Olympic set after the Chilean won gold in the doubles with Nicolas Massu in Athens and bronze in the singles, also four years ago.

Serbia's world No.3 Novak Djokovic grabbed the bronze in Beijing with a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) victory over American James Blake.

In the women's event, Elena Dementieva earlier beat Dinara Safina 3-6 7-5 6-3 to lead Russia to the first Olympic clean sweep of tennis medals in 100 years.

Vera Zvonareva had already defeated Li Na 6-0 7-5 in the third-place playoff, denying China a first singles medal but guaranteeing the Russian treble.

It was the first one-two-three in any Olympic tennis event since 1908, when Great Britain also collected all three women's singles medals.

American superstars Serena and Venus Williams overpowered Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2 6-0 to claim their second Olympic gold medal in the women's doubles.

The Williams sisters also won at Sydney 2000, when Venus secured singles gold as well.

Dementieva, the 2000 silver medallist, snapped Safina's 15-match winning streak to finally break through on the big stage after a career littered with unfortunate mental meltdowns, including shockers in the 2004 French and US Open finals.

"This is for sure the biggest moment in my career, in my life. I will never forget this moment," Dementieva said.

"Journalists were asking me all the time what is the most important for me - the grand slam or Olympic Games. Obviously, it's the Olympic Games, they're so much more important to me.

"This is a dream for every athlete, just to be here. But to be an Olympic champion, this is the top of the career."