At the Us Open, Djokovic beats Medvedev to win the 24th Grand Slam of his career
The Serbian court is on a par with the Australian court and is therefore the most successful to date. He defeated the Russian 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 and then wore a jersey with the 24 dedicated to Bryant
This time there are no tears, no comforting hugs. This time Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev (6-3, 7-6, 6-3) at the US Open and can scream, cheer, celebrate a balanced record: 24 Slam titles, just like Margaret Court, who alone held the record the most majors in tennis history. Twenty-four, a special number celebrated with a special jersey: Kobe Bryant’s 24. Nole wears the “Mamba Forever” celebration t-shirt, the legend acknowledges the legend: “Kobe was a great friend of mine and an example for a winning mentality. He helped me in difficult moments. With his death I lost a point.” Reference. Because I promised myself that if I achieved this goal, I would celebrate it like this.”
Now the absolute record is just one step away and in Australia, where he has already won 10 times, the world number 1 can try to become the greatest of all time with 25 titles. This time Nole does not allow himself to be attacked by Medvedev, on the contrary, he immediately enforces his law and makes it clear to the Russian who prevented him from completing the Grand Slam two years ago that he really wouldn’t have done it this time had a chance. In the first set he intimidated him as only he can, in the second the fight was fierce, it was a tug-of-war for 64 minutes, and there the Serb made his breakthrough by ending the tiebreak and putting a damper on the Muscovite’s hopes to win the second Slam of his career.
THE FAREWELL
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In the first set, Djokovic broke his rival’s serve at the first opportunity, took a 2-0 lead and maintained the lead without ever letting up. He serves well, reacts as only he can, varies widely and confuses Medvedev, who cannot recover. The serve doesn’t help him and Djokovic takes advantage of every chance, no matter how small. In the fifth game, Daniil wins an exchange of 36 strokes and goes up 30-15 on the Serbian serve, but Nole does not lose concentration and goes up 40-30 with two serves and volleys. We take the lead, then the Serbian phenomenon seals the score 4-1. With the score at 5:2, the Russian, a hard court specialist who has already won 38 times on this surface this year, has to save a set point. Djokovic doesn’t take advantage of this, but closes straight away by taking the first set 6-3 in 48 minutes.
BATTLE
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Medvedev takes a moment to think between sentences in the locker room. He returns to the court and despite a few too many mistakes that force him to take advantage again and again, he remains in control of his serve. In the seventh game the first break point of the second set for Djokovic. Daniil counters it with a serve and a volley. When he has the ball 4-3, he hits his forehand into the net. At 40:40 another absurd exchange of blows, 31 shots, the Russian wins and Nole lies exhausted on the floor. In the end the Russian holds 4:3 and immediately afterwards has the first break point of the game. Djoker doesn’t give in, Medvedev tries to catch up with him out of exhaustion, but nobody wants to give up. At 6:5, Nole risks reaching 30:30, he escapes with a winning serve, but a second double fault gives Medvedev the equalizer. A great backhand down the line earned the Russian a set point. He doesn’t capitalize on it and after another exchange of over 20 shots (23), Nole earns the tiebreak after 12 minutes. We start with Djokovic’s backhand into the net and a minibreak lead for Medvedev that extends to 3-1. The lead doesn’t last long: Nole recovers and the score ends at 3:3. With crazy cushioning and counter cushioning the Russian takes the lead to 5-4, but it’s Nole who reaches the set point. Daniil hits a backhand into the net and Djokovic flies 2 sets to 0.
THE END
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In the third set the balance is broken in the fourth game, with Djokovic’s break seeming to end the game, the situation immediately returns to balance with Medvedev’s counter break. Nole doesn’t give in and in the sixth game he takes the lead again and makes it 4:2 with a backhand winner from his team on the line, which immediately consolidates to 5:2. Medvedev capitulates to history.
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