In the city that never sleeps, Daniil Medvedev is not about to close his eyes. Imperial, impenetrable, intractable, the Russian offered his first major tournament in New York by breaking Novak Djokovic’s dream of a calendar Grand Slam in three small sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-4).
For his third final (after defeats against Nadal at the US Open 2019 and Djokovic in Australia this year), the adopted Frenchman, trained in Cannes, had no choice anyway. Victory or embarrassment. “It’s my wedding anniversary,” he laughs. I said to myself: if I win, it will be my gift and if I lose, I won’t have time to buy one. So I have to win… ”He has above all done almost none to his opponent, whom he considers“ as the greatest player in history ”.
The world No. 1 has indeed been largely overtaken in the game and especially by the stake of his 1176th match on the circuit, which could have definitely made him an exceptional being in his discipline and in sport in general. Under the eyes of an audience of personalities who came to smell the scent of the feat, including actor Rami Malek, Djoko showed that “Mr. Robot” can also be simply human …
“I remember 2015 very well, I won that year, and I spoke with Serena, explained the Serbian before his failed meeting with the legend. I understand what Serena went through in 2015. Obviously, when you find yourself in this situation, you understand what others have gone through before you. You have to go on the court and respond present. We always expect us to win. And we have our own, very high expectations. It was the case for Serena, it is the case for me. “
Legs as heavy as the head
On his first service play, the man with the 20 Grand Slams led 40-15. The only time in the match when he was in the lead. Broken entry, nervous, the protégé of Marian Vajda quickly suffered the law of his dolphin in the world rankings, untouchable on his service games.
With his legs as heavy as his head – he had nevertheless spent 5h30 more than his rival on the courts of Flushing Meadows – the Serbian opted for a very offensive tactic, by storming the net on each of his bets. at stake. The reverse of the last final of the Australian Open where he had easily extinguished the Muscovite by breaking the pace.
At the start of the second set, the boss had three break points. Then two more at 2-1 in his favor. Insufficient to shake Medvedev, much stronger on long exchanges. After having refrained from sending a ball to a ball collector (sad memory of his disqualification in 8th last year), the Belgradois chased his frustration by smashing his racquet. In the next game, a failed volley gave Medvedev another decisive break.
In tears at the change of sides
While we were thinking of a saving pee break before the 3rd set (as at Roland-Garros, where he had overthrown Tsitsipas after being led two rounds to nothing), Djokovic did not even leave the Arthur-Ashe court. As if resigned to the sad fate that awaited him. Indeed, his last set of the year in Grand Slam, under the almost desperate eye of his wife, was only a long ordeal.
Until his rival began to tremble when he concluded with three double faults (including one on match point) at 5-2. Nerves on both sides, with a Djoker bursting into tears at the change of sides in front of the ovation of the American public. Because somewhere, he did not lose everything in defeat. The usual court executioner has finally won some hearts. “I had considered the two scenarios, he breathed during the presentation of the trophies. I did not win this match but I am happy because you (Editor’s note: the public) made this moment very special. I had never felt this in New York. “
Winner of the Masters in 2020 and the first player in sixteen years to put an end to the supremacy of the Big Four on the first two places of the ATP ranking, Medvedev continues his march forward. And show Djokovic that he won’t easily let him make history. Rod Laver, present in the stands, will undoubtedly wait a long time for a successor to his Grand Slam of 1969 …
