September 11, (THEWILL) – Novak Djokovic made tennis history on Sunday, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final, to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
The 36-year-old Serb displayed his trademark determination and mental fortitude to overcome the second-seeded Russian in straight sets, 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3. The thrilling match capped a remarkable Grand Slam season for Djokovic, who previously triumphed at the Australian Open and French Open this year. His victory returns him to the top spot in the ATP rankings as of Monday. He is now the oldest US Open men’s champion in the Open Era and the first man to win three majors in a season on four separate occasions.
Sunday’s final was a rematch of the 2021 championship match, when Medvedev defeated Djokovic to claim his first Grand Slam title and prevent the Serb from achieving a calendar Grand Slam. This time Djokovic exacted revenge, fending off his opponent’s challenges in a high-quality contest on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Both players produced gritty baseline play with punishing groundstrokes, but Djokovic, as he has done throughout his glittering career, raised his level at critical moments. He earned the only break of the first set and held firm when Medvedev threatened late in the second set tiebreaker. After exchanging breaks early in the third set, Djokovic broke again and closed out the match convincingly.
The legendary Serb said the victory was among the most special of his career. He was overcome with emotion, laying down on the court in relief. With his latest triumph, Djokovic has further cemented his status as one of the greatest tennis champions of all time.
