Novak Djokovic is now the winner of the 2023 US Open following his victory in the finals over his opponent, Daniil Medvedev.
The Serbian beat Medvedev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 for US Open 2023 title in one of the most electrifying Grand Slam finals.
This recent victory pushed his career Grand Slam wins to 24, with the 2023 season being a special one because he won three out of four Grand Slams. Djokovic won the Australian Open, French and now the US Open which is quite an impression for a 36-year-old tennis player.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC RANKING AFTER WINNING US OPEN TITLE
Winning his opening match at this tournament not only secured his return to the world No. 1 ranking but also added to his remarkable record of spending 390 weeks at the pinnacle of the ATP rankings. Djokovic is poised to ascend rapidly to the top once again where Carlos Alcaraz has been for weeks since his successful run at Wimbledon where he beat the Serbian during the finals.
Novak Djokovic with Daniil Medvedev. Photo/Sporting News
Following his defeat in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic has embarked on an impressive streak, securing victory in 12 consecutive matches. As the grand slam season comes to a close, he stands out as the dominant player in the world by a significant margin. Despite his limited tournament appearances and the emerging rivalry between them, Djokovic maintains an 800-point lead over Alcaraz in the ATP race.
HOW DID NOVAK DJOKOVIC WIN OVER DANIIL MEDVEDEV?
Still, Djokovic had a deep history with the Russian, especially after losing to him in 2021. At the outset, Medvedev had a shaky start, with errors streaming from his racket during his opening service game.
In contrast, Djokovic entered the match with a clear intention to seize control by taking the ball early and asserting dominance from the baseline with his forehand. This strategy paid off as he managed to break Medvedev’s serve and navigated through a series of predictably long and attritional exchanges to secure the set.
However, midway through the second set, the dynamics of the match underwent a sudden transformation. Prolonged rallies began to take a toll on both players’ legs, and Djokovic struggled to keep pace. Throughout the remainder of the set, Medvedev exerted significant pressure on Djokovic’s serve. Yet, whenever they faced crucial points, Djokovic either opted for a serve-and-volley tactic or found innovative ways to advance, often executing remarkable volleys.
Medvedev’s most notable opportunity came at 6-5 with a set point as Djokovic attempted a serve and volley. Instead of threading his backhand passing shot down the line into an open court, Medvedev directed it straight at Djokovic, who swiftly dispatched the volley and flashed a smile at his stroke of luck.
Beating Medvedev in this year’s finals marks Djokovic’s fourth US Open title, the last of all the four other Grand Slams. He said it still baffles him that he won three Grand Slams in a single season and also made it to the Wimbledon finals. While he regrets losing to Alcaraz, his presence at the finals still counts for much more.
Novak Djokovic with Daniil Medvedev. Photo/USOpenorg
“I would definitely sign right away the paper if somebody would tell me I would win three out of four and play Wimbledon finals,” he told The Guardian.
“There is a little regret that I didn’t win that Wimbledon finals. But, look, at the end of the day, I have so much more to be happier and content with than actually to regret something,” he adds.
He says that the reality of this dream sunk in the last 48 hours of the match especially because he lost to Medvedev in 2021. The pain of losing pushed him to give his best during the match and his family understood his assignment so well that they barely spoke to him over the weekend. They gave him 24 hours to put his mind to the game and this is part of his mental routine whenever he is up for a big match.
“My team, my family knew that the last 24 hours, don’t touch me, don’t speak to me about the history of what’s on the line,” he implored.
Most people hoped that Alcaraz would make it to the finals but Medvedev cut short his journey in the semi-finals.
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