New York: Novak Djokovic was aiming for a historical milestone that would have placed him high atop the men’s tennis pantheon on Sunday in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 20-time major champion was seeking, in one fell swoop, to become the first male winner of the Grand Slam since the great Rod Laver in 1969 and to pass legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the all-time Grand Slam titles list.
Enter Daniil Medvedev, a menacing Russian with other ideas…
The No. 2 seed delivered a performance for the ages, blasting out of the gates and seizing on every opportunity as he notched a stirring 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory to claim his maiden Grand Slam title.
“He came out very determined on the court,” Djokovic told reporters after the final, tipping his cap to the first-time Slam winner. “You could feel that he was just at highest of his abilities in every shot. He had a lot of clarity what he needs to do tactically. He has executed it perfectly.”
After falling to Djokovic in his only two Grand Slam matches against the Serb, including this year’s Australian Open final where he only managed to win nine games, Medvedev had ominously warned the world that he’d be bringing a different energy into Sunday’s final.
“I feel like I didn't leave my heart on the court in Melbourne,” he told reporters after waltzing past Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals on Friday. “That's what I'm going to try to do on Arthur Ashe with hopefully 100 percent of fans. No matter the score, I'm just going to turn up the heat.”
The 25-year-old Russian kept his word, and produced a vintage serving performance that kept Djokovic on the back foot from first ball of the contest.
Long after the final, Medvedev told reporters that earning the victory over Djokovic made his first Grand Slam triumph even more special.
“It definitely makes it sweeter,” he said. “For the confidence and for my future career, knowing that I beat somebody who was 27-0 in a year in Grand Slams, I lost to him in Australia, he was going for huge history, and knowing that I managed to stop him it definitely makes it sweeter and brings me confidence for what is to come.”
Medvedev won all fifteen of his first-serve points in the opening set and rifled eight aces, never facing a break point.
The 34-year-old Djokovic, seeking his 21st major title in his 31st Grand Slam final appearance, opened windows for himself in the second set, but Medvedev slammed them shut, saving five break points in the first two games to stay on serve, before breaking critically for 3-2.
The Arthur Ashe crowd, dotted with A-list celebrities who had come to witness a slice of tennis history, instead were treated to a Medvedev coronation. The Russian won over the fans when he pushed Rafael Nadal to the brink in the 2019 US Open final, and on Sunday he proved that he is no longer just a title contenderーhe’s the real deal.
The Medvedev freight train would not be derailed on Sunday in Flushing Meadows. He rambled through the third set, quickly securing a double-break lead before closing out Djokovic’s magnificent Grand Slam season in two hours and 16 minutes.
During the post-match trophy ceremony Djokovic addressed the crowd on the verge of tears.
“Tonight, even though I have not won the match, my heart is filled with joy because you made me feel very special,” Djokovic said as the crowd erupted. “You guys touched my soulーI’ve never felt like this in New York.”
Medvedev had kind words for the Serbian legend as well.
"I never said this to anybody, but I'll say it right now. For me, you are the greatest player in history,” he told Djokovic as the crowd cheered.
* Medvedev becomes the third Russian man to win a Grand Slam singles title, and the second to claim the US Open title. The Moscow native is the first Russian man to raise the trophy in New York since Hall of Famer Marat Safin in 2000.
* Djokovic’s historic run at the Grand Slam comes to an end. He finishes at 27-1 at the majors in 2021 and stays level with his rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the all-time Grand Slam singles title list with 20.
* Medvedev becomes the ninth first-time champion at the US Open since Juan Martin del Potro shocked Roger Federer in five sets in the 2009 final.
* Of the six players who have won the first three major titles of the same season in the Open era (since 1968), Djokovic becomes the third to fall short in an attempt to conquer the Grand Slam. He joins Martina Navratilova (1984) and Serena Williams (2015) on that list.
Veteran pair Stosur and Zhang win
The Australia-China combination of Sam Stosur and Zhang Shuai won their second Grand Slam women's doubles title together in New York.
The veteran pair, aged 37 and 32 respectively, denied home favourites Coco Gauff and Caty McNally their first with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory after a two-hour tussle at Arthur Ashe Arena on Sunday.
The No14 seeds added the US Open title to the Australian Open crown they won in 2019.
Gauff and McNally, seeded 11th, were hoping to join 18 year-old singles champion Emma Raducanu as teenage winners at the US Open after winning the girl's title just three years ago.
