Medvedev takes down Djokovic
Keeping an eye on the final Slam of the tennis season
A game from the end of his bid for what would have been the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969, Novak Djokovic covered his face with a towel, hiding his tears during a changeover.
For 27 Grand Slam matches in 2021, on hard courts, clay courts and grass, Djokovic could not be deterred, could not be beaten. Needing one more victory, in the U.S. Open final Sunday against Daniil Medvedev, above, to complete a season sweep of major titles and to claim the record 21st of his career, Djokovic could not come through.
Outplayed by someone using a similar style, Djokovic came up just short of those two historic milestones, losing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to first-time major champion Medvedev at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
Until Sunday, the No. 1-ranked Djokovic had been sublime at the sport’s four most important tournaments, enduring the burdens of expectations and pressure over the past seven months and, in New York, the past fortnight.
Djokovic, 34, simply was far from his best on this particular day.
A lot of Djokovic’s issues also had to do with the No. 2-ranked Medvedev, who used his 6-foot-6 frame to chase down everything and respond with seemingly effortless groundstrokes — much the way Djokovic wears down foes — and delivered pinpoint serving.
After overcoming multiple double-faults on match point, Medvedev finally finished the job, then toppled over to the court on his side.
During the trophy presentation, Djokovic praised Medvedev for his play.
Medvedev was equally effusive, turning to Djokovic and saying: “... I never said this to anybody, but I’ll say it right now. For me, you are the greatest tennis player in history.”
THE QUOTE “I was glad it was over, because the buildup for this tournament, and everything mentally and emotionally I had to deal with throughout the tournament in the last couple of weeks, was just a lot. It was a lot to handle.” Djokovic on his feelings late in Sunday’s final