NEW YORK CROWD’S LOVE MEANS AS MUCH AS TITLE TO BEATEN NOVAK
NOVAK DJOKOVIC insisted the love he got from the New York crowd meant every bit as much as a recordbreaking 21st grand-slam singles crown would have after his US Open final defeat to Daniil Medvedev.
Chasing a calendar Grand Slam – Djokovic won in Australia, France and at Wimbledon – the world No.1 was beaten 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 as the Russian claimed a first slam title.
And he was overcome with emotion at the changeover after keeping the match alive at 5-4 in the third set and was openly sobbing.
It was all over a game later but Djokovic, not always the most popular player with many fans, says he will never forget the love he felt from the crowd. ‘I would like to say that tonight, even though I have not won the match, my heart is filled with joy and I’m the happiest man alive,’ he said in his on-court interview.
Later he explained why it had meant so much to him, saying: ‘Of course, part of me is very sad.
‘It’s a tough one to swallow, this loss, considering everything that was on the line. But, on the other hand, I felt something I never felt in my life here in New York.
‘The crowd made me (feel) very special. I did not expect anything but the amount of support and energy and love I got from the crowd was something that I’ll remember forever.
‘That’s the reason on the changeover I just teared up. The emotion, the energy was so strong. It’s as strong as winning 21 grand slams. They touched my heart.’
Having fallen just short in his bid to do what only Don Budge and Rod Laver have ever managed in the men’s game by claiming all four titles in the same year – and failing to edge ahead of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the most successful male player – Djokovic admitted he was not at his brilliant best.
‘I was just below par with my game. My legs were not there,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately I didn’t make it in the final step. But, when you draw a line, you have to be very satisfied with the year. Three slams and a final.’
Medvedev, famous for his non-celebrations, fell to the floor on clinching victory, later explaining it was the ‘brick fall’ goal celebration from the Fifa video game. ‘Only legends will understand, what I did at last was L2+left,’ he told the New York crowd. And addressing Djokovic, he said: ‘I have never said this to anybody but for me you are the greatest player in history.’