Sept. 10 (UPI) — Novak Djokovic’s face transformed from elation to exhaustion as he lay on the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium, relishing a hard-fought victory over Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 U.S. Open men’s final on a sunny Sunday in Flushing, N.Y.
The Serbian tennis champion added another Grand Slam title to his collection, securing his 24th major victory and tying Margaret Court’s record for the most titles won in women’s or men’s tennis.
“To achieve historic milestones in this awe-inspiring sport is a truly exceptional and extraordinary feat,” Djokovic exclaimed in a post-match interview on ESPN.
Last year, Djokovic was unable to participate in the tournament due to COVID-19 travel restrictions as he had chosen not to receive the vaccine. This year, however, he emerged triumphant with a flawless performance, claiming his fourth U.S. Open crown. Moreover, the 36-year-old became the oldest male player to win a Grand Slam tournament.
Coco Gauff, the women’s champion, was awarded $3 million for her victory the previous day.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Djokovic confessed. “This victory means the world to me. I know I’ve said it before, but I can’t emphasize it enough. I am living out my childhood dreams.”
In the grueling 3-hour and 16-minute battle against the third-ranked Russian player, Djokovic aced four serves, seized three out of six break point opportunities, and recorded an impressive 38 winners. Medvedev, on the other hand, contributed six aces, converted only one out of three break point chances, and achieved 32 winners.
Medvedev expressed his admiration for Djokovic’s incredible accomplishments, saying, “I have had a respectable career with 20 overall titles, but he has 24 Grand Slams. It’s truly remarkable.”
The opening set of the match witnessed Djokovic holding his first two serves and breaking Medvedev’s serve in the second game, leading with a 3-0 advantage. Both players maintained their serves for the rest of the set, resulting in Medvedev’s loss due to three double faults.
The intensity escalated in the second set, lasting an exhausting 1 hour and 44 minutes and encompassing a memorable 31-shot rally. Both players often took breaks, hands on their knees, as they battled in the longest set of the entire tournament.
Neither Djokovic nor Medvedev yielded their serves throughout the first 12 games, pushing the match into a dramatic tiebreak. Djokovic displayed remarkable composure and emerged victorious with a 7-5 win.
In the final set, Djokovic confidently held his serve in the opening game. Although Medvedev managed to hold his serve in the second game, he was unable to replicate this success in the fourth game, where Djokovic broke his serve. However, Medvedev retaliated by breaking Djokovic’s serve in the fifth game. Djokovic swiftly responded by breaking Medvedev’s serve once again in the sixth game. Both players maintained their serves for the remainder of the set. Djokovic secured his championship point as Medvedev’s forehand return landed in the net.
When the ATP Tour singles rankings are released on Monday, Djokovic will reclaim the No. 1 position, replacing Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz will drop to No. 2, while Medvedev will maintain his rank at No. 3.
