Djokovic: I owe it all to my rivalry with both Nadal and Federer
Novak Djokovic said he was thrilled to move level with “childhood idol” Pete Samprass on 14 grand slams after winning the US Open, but added it was his rivalry with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer that has made him the player he is today.
Djokovic secured a third US Open title with a dominant 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Juan Martin del Potro in Sunday’s final in New York, his second successive grand slam after winning Wimbledon in July.
“Pete Sampras is one of the biggest legends ever to play the game,” Djokovic said. “He was my childhood idol. He was someone I was looking up to. The first actual thing I saw related to tennis on the TV was his first or second Wimbledon championship. That inspired me to start playing tennis.
“There is a lot of significance of me being now shoulder to shoulder in terms of grand slam wins with him.”
The victory puts Djokovic three slam wins away from Nadal’s 17 and six behind Federer’s record 20. It sees him rise to third behind Nadal and Federer win the world rankings and marks a remarkable turnaround from the elbow injury that sidelined him for most of last year, culminating in a loss of confidence that accompanied a 54-week title drought.
Since bursting out of the slump with an unexpected Wimbledon title, he has gone from strength to strength, adding a long-awaited Cincinnati Masters title before winning the US Open title to those he won in 2011 and 2015.
Djokovic faced neither of his greatest rivals Nadal and Federer en route to the title in Flushing Meadows.
Seeded to face Federer in the quarter-finals, he found himself instead across the net from John Millman after the unheralded Australian stunned the Swiss great in the last 16. Nadal hobbled out of a semi-final match against Del Potro after two sets.
Djokovic said he would have relished taking on either – or both – in New York, although he admits that wasn’t always the case. “Maybe 10 years ago I would say I’m not so happy to be part of this era with Nadal and Federer,” he said. “Today, I really am. I feel like these guys, rivalries with these guys, matches with Federer and Nadal, have made me the player I am, have shaped me into the player I am today. I owe it to them.”
Although he was riding high coming into the US Open, Djokovic was among the many struggling with crushing heat and humidity in the first week.
He needed four sets to get past 41st-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the first round and another four to get past 61stranked American Tennys Sandgren in the second.
He picked up the pace with straight-sets victories over France’s Richard Gasquet, Portugal’s Joao Sousa, Millman and 2014 finalist Kei Nishikori to arrive at a title tilt with good friend Del Potro. After seizing an early break in the second set, Djokovic suddenly found himself on the run, dropping three straight games before he dug in to salvage a service hold in a 20-minute marathon game that went to deuce eight times.
The crowd was roaring for sentimental favourite Del Potro – winner here in 2009 before a succession of wrist injuries that nearly ended the Argentine’s career.
Djokovic said it was the kind of heavyweight clash he’s learned to embrace.
“I thought it was electrifying in some stages of the match, especially in the second set when we went toe-to-toe. I had my corner, as well,” he said.
“When the roof is closed, trust me, it’s very, very loud down there. It takes a lot of effort to actually stay poised in this moment. I’m glad I managed to do that.”