Novak Djokovic was not about to let Daniil Medvedev spoil his historic second as soon as once more as he overpowered the Russian with a rating of 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to assert victory on the U.S. Open on Sunday, matching Margaret Court’s outstanding file of 24 Grand Slam titles.
The victory, his fourth in 10 Flushing Meadows finals, capped one other outstanding Grand Slam marketing campaign for Djokovic with wins on the Australian, French and U.S. Opens and a return to the highest of the world rankings when they’re up to date on Monday.
The 36-year-old Serb turns into the oldest U.S. Open males’s winner within the Open Era and the primary to win three Grand Slam occasions in a season for the fourth time.
“It obviously means the world to me,” stated Djokovic about his twenty fourth Slam. “I’m actually dwelling my childhood dream.
“To make the historical past of this sport is one thing really outstanding, it is onerous to explain the phrases.
“I had the childhood dream when I was 7, 8, I wanted to become the best player in the world.”
And it’s a dream that continues to return true. Djokovic has already received extra Grand Slams than any man and now shares the general file with Court.
After clinching his historic title Djokovic threw his racket within the air and dropped to his knees because the capability crowd roared.
Mamba tribute
He would decide himself up and discover his younger daughter courtside for an emotional hug earlier than going again to the bench the place he pulled out a T-shirt with “Mamba Forever” on the entrance and the quantity 24 on the again.
The shirt was a tribute to each his achievement and late pal Los Angeles Lakers nice Kobe Bryant, who wore the quantity all through a lot of his all-star profession earlier than dying in a helicopter crash.
“I thought of doing this T-shirt, eventually, if I get the chance to win the tournament,” stated Djokovic. “Kobe was an in depth pal, we chatted loads in regards to the winner’s mentality.
“When I used to be combating harm he was one of many individuals I relied on probably the most. He was at all times there for any form of counsel, recommendation.
“I thought 24 is the jersey that he wore when he became a legend of Lakers and world basketball.”
While Djokovic and Medvedev are intriguing figures, neither has been absolutely embraced by the New York crowds.
Until the tip, there was little of the electrical energy that crackled by Arthur Ashe through the girls’s last on Saturday, with no clear assist for both participant from an attentive however subdued viewers.
As the match began Djokovic walked out on court docket and stared throughout the online at Medvedev the person as soon as once more standing between him and historical past simply as he had two years in the past.
The final time the 2 clashed on the U.S. Open was within the 2021 last, when the Russian captured his solely main and denied the Serb a uncommon calendar Grand Slam.
While Djokovic didn’t communicate of revenge on the highway to the ultimate the Serb is understood to carry a grudge and solely referenced that loss as a studying expertise.
Lesson discovered
As anticipated in a contest that includes the game’s two premier hardcourt gamers, nearly each level was contested with lengthy rallies as each males pounded away at one another from the baseline.
Djokovic got here out taking part in with function and utilized stress straight away breaking the third seed on the first alternative on solution to a 3-0 lead.
That can be the one break Djokovic would wish in opposition to a surprisingly flat Medvedev who couldn’t manufacture a single break likelihood within the first set.
During a marathon one hour and 44 minute, lung-bursting second set Medvedev would discover life forcing a tiring Djokovic into lengthy grinding level, after grinding level.
But the tireless Russian’s onerous work would pay no dividends unable to transform any of his few break possibilities together with one at 6-5 that may have given him the set.
Medvedev charged in entrance 3-1 of the tie-break however once more couldn’t land the knockout blow as Djokovic got here off the ropes to take it 7-5 and a 2-0 lead.
If there may be one factor Djokovic possesses it’s a killer intuition and the Serb wasted no time putting breaking Medvedev to go up 3-1 within the third.
A defiant Medvedev answered along with his first and solely break of the match nevertheless it was not sufficient with Djokovic hitting proper again with one other break then holding serve the remainder of solution to clinch the title.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
