NEW YORK (AP) — Halfway by a second set that lasted 1 hour, 44 minutes, a exam of tenacity as a lot as talent amid a U.S. Open final as exhausting as it was exhilarating, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev engaged every single other in a 32-stroke point.
It was between numerous these types of elongated exchanges concerning two adult males whose designs are nearly mirror pictures, and Djokovic capitulated on this 1 by netting a backhand. He fell to his back and stayed down, chest heaving. The group roared. Djokovic sat up but remained on the floor for a little bit. The crowd roared extra, appreciating the exertion, saluting the enjoyment.
Applying every single ounce of his strength and some provide-and-volley guile — an aged male with new tricks — Djokovic emerged for a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory more than Medvedev at Flushing Meadows to assert a historic 24th Grand Slam title on Sunday night in a match much more intently contested than the straight-set score indicated.
“I under no circumstances imagined that I would be below standing with you chatting about 24 Slams. I hardly ever assumed that would be the fact,” said Djokovic, a 36-12 months-old from Serbia and the tournament’s oldest male winner in the Open era, which dates to 1968. “But the final pair of many years, I felt I have a probability, I have a shot for record, and why not get it if it is offered?”
He moved a person important singles title in advance of Serena Williams to turn out to be the initial participant to get 24 in the Open period. Margaret Court docket also collected a whole of 24, but 13 of individuals came before professionals were being admitted to the Slam situations.
“It of course suggests the globe to me,” stated Djokovic, who will return to No. 1 in the rankings on Monday.
There have been times, notably in the miniseries of a next established, when Djokovic appeared to be faltering. Just after some of the most grueling points — and there ended up lots of — he would lean above with palms on knees or use his racket for guidance or pause to stretch his legs.
He allowed Medvedev to arrive in a single point of getting that established even though returning at 6-5. Djokovic rushed the internet guiding his serve, and whilst Medvedev had an opening for a backhand passing shot, he did not occur by.
That was a essential adjustment: When Djokovic was looking additional bedraggled, he turned to provide-and-volleying, not his regular kind of tactic, to good achievement. He won 20 of 22 points he played that way, and 37 of 44 overall on the points when he went to the net, some with magnificent volleys or fifty percent-volleys at angles a pool shark would appreciate.
Medvedev by no means countered.
“I really should have been fewer stubborn,” Medvedev stated.
This was Medvedev’s fifth Grand Slam closing and he is now 1-4, with two losses to Djokovic and two to Rafael Nadal. The a single victory? That arrived against Djokovic in the 2021 remaining at Flushing Meadows, stopping a bid for the initially men’s calendar-year Grand Slam in additional than a half-century.
Djokovic’s fourth championship in New York, where by he was not able to contend a yr in the past simply because he isn’t vaccinated towards COVID-19, goes together with his 10 trophies from the Australian Open up, seven from Wimbledon and 3 from the French Open, extending his direct on the men’s Slam listing. Nadal, sidelined since January with a hip trouble, is next with 22 Roger Federer, who announced his retirement a yr in the past, finished with 20.
When it was more than, Medvedev tapped Djokovic on the chest as they talked at the internet. Djokovic flung his racket absent, put his arms up and then knelt on the courtroom, with his head bowed. And then the celebration was on. 1st he uncovered his daughter for a hug. His son and wife came upcoming, along with his team.
Shortly, Djokovic was donning a shirt with “24” and “Mamba Forever” written on it as a tribute to the late NBA star Kobe Bryant, who wore that jersey range. And on prime of that went a white jacket with the similar substantial number stamped on the chest.
“Kobe was a close good friend. We chatted a whole lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with harm and making an attempt to make my comeback, get the job done my way again to the prime of the game,” Djokovic claimed. “He was one particular of the men and women that I relied on the most.”
As fantastic as ever, Djokovic went 27-1 in the sport’s most prestigious gatherings this season: The lone blemish was a decline to Carlos Alcaraz in the ultimate at Wimbledon in July. Djokovic will increase to No. 1 in the rankings on Monday, overtaking Alcaraz, who was the defending champion at Flushing Meadows but was eliminated by No. 3 Medvedev in the semifinals.
At the begin Sunday, with the Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof shut due to the fact of rain in the forecast, Djokovic was comfy as can be. No sign of the occasion weighing on him, no trace of the tension he acknowledged briefly arose late in his semifinal in opposition to unseeded American Ben Shelton.
His exemplary movement superior as at any time, every stroke just so, Djokovic arrived out as his greatest self. He grabbed 12 of the very first 16 factors — 3 by means of aces completely placed, and with pace, and four by way of exchanges that lasted 10 strokes or additional — alongside the way to potential customers of 3- and 4-1.
Medvedev, in distinction, appeared tight, jittery, the looping swings of his white racket breaking down regularly, irrespective of whether on a trio of double-faults in the opening set or for the duration of the lengthier details.
Further than that, though, Djokovic was as trusted as a metronome, anticipating just about almost everything headed his way and scurrying this way and that to retrieve and answer, as is his wont.
On this afternoon-into-evening, aid came from 1000’s in the stands, not only the individuals invoking his two-syllable nickname whilst chanting, “Let’s go, No-le, let’s go!” or these in his guest box, including Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, one particular of several A-listers on hand.
Djokovic relies on analytics and what a foe’s tendencies are. He leans on intuition and a masterful potential to examine opposing serves and groundstrokes. On Sunday, his blue footwear carried him appropriate the place he desired to be, extra frequently than not, and his adaptability — turning, bending, contorting, stretching, sliding, defending with his again to the web, even — permitted him to continue to keep the ball in engage in, when needed, and build flip-the-change offense, far too, if wished-for.
Medvedev performs likewise. Points lasted 25 pictures, 35 shots, extra.
Was Djokovic excellent? No. But, wow, he arrived close in sections, and he was definitely excellent plenty of throughout to win, as he so often is.
“First of all, Novak, I want to talk to: What are you nonetheless undertaking here? Occur on,” Medvedev joked during the trophy presentation.
Copyright 2023 The Connected Push. All legal rights reserved. This content could not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
