Medvedev defeated in the final – 24th Grand Slam title: Djokovic continues to expand his legendary status – Sport

• Novak Djokovic (ATP 2) beats Daniil Medvedev (ATP 3) 6:3, 7:6 (7:5), 6:3 in the final of the US Open.
• For the Serb it is the 4th title in New York and the 24th Grand Slam triumph overall. He draws level with the previous record holder Margaret Court.
• Even before the final it was clear that Djokovic would displace Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) from the world rankings throne on Monday.

The superlatives are slowly but surely running out when it comes to Novak Djokovic. What the Serb achieved in New York on Sunday evening is difficult to put into words. At this point we should also mention Daniil Medvedev, who contributed his part to one of the most historic moments in world tennis with a great performance.

Djokovic has done it: At the age of 36 – there is still no sign of wear and tear – the “Djoker” reached the mark of 24 Grand Slam titles. This means that from now on he is no longer just the most successful male tennis player of all time, but, along with the Australian Margaret Court, also the greatest across genders.

A second sentence for eternity

Although the result in the final speaks for itself at first glance, Djokovic had to work hard for his 4th US Open title. Medvedev demanded everything from the Serbs and at times even pushed him to his physical limits. But nobody has mastered the art of unleashing as well as Djokovic. And so the favorite also won the incredibly high-class 2nd round, which he felt should have lost.

From the middle of the second round, Medvedev played practically flawlessly and seemed to have his opponent under control. But Djokovic threw everything into the balance during this phase and showed no nerves:

• With the score at 4:3, Medvedev gets his very first break chance of the game. Djokovic fends them off with a perfect half-volley.
• When the score is 6:5, Medvedev fights for a set ball. Djokovic plays serve-and-volley, Medvedev gets the chance to pass the ball, but chooses the wrong side.

Finally, the tie-break had to make the decision. And then Djokovic showed once again what he was made of. Medvedev did little or nothing wrong, but that still wasn’t enough for the Russian. After 105 minutes (!) of breathtaking tennis, the 2nd set was history – and Djokovic had one leg at the finish.

Great emotions, albeit slightly delayed

In the third round, the two protagonists, unsurprisingly, were no longer able to maintain the level. Despite the unfortunate missed set equalizer, Medvedev continued to bravely rebel against the impending defeat. But Djokovic didn’t let himself be stopped even after an immediate rebreak. The 36-year-old took the service away from Medvedev once again to make it 4:2 and used his first championship point to win after 3:17 hours.

Immediately after the battle of attrition, Djokovic lacked the strength for the really big gestures of celebration. But after the handshake with Medvedev, the big emotions came. The first to congratulate was daughter Tara, who shared a moving moment with her father, followed by Djokovic’s entire entourage in the box.

Tribute to Bryant

Djokovic appeared at the award ceremony in a training jacket with the number 24 printed on it. Underneath, the Serb wore a T-shirt with the likeness of Kobe Bryant. The American basketball legend, who died in a helicopter tragedy at the beginning of 2020, wore number 24 for years.