Djokovic, after winning the US Open CJ GUNTHER | EFE
Djokovic beat Medvedev in three sets in the final of the United States Open and increases his lead as the most successful of all time with 24 majors
11 sep 2023 . Updated at 9:34 p.m.
“What are you still doing here?” asked Daniil Medvedev after losing the US Open final to a 36-year-old Novak Djokovic. “I will continue playing as long as I continue winning,” replied the Serbian with his twenty-fourth grand slam still warm under the arm. For some time now, Nole no longer fights against anyone but himself. Gone are the debates about who is the best in history and the comparison of him with Rafael Nadal y Roger Federer. It is impossible to argue, with the data and titles in hand, that Djokovic is not the best. And any hint of doubt is already in charge of clearing it up. In the final of the US Open he got rid of Bear protector, who two years earlier had been the executioner on that same stage that deprived him of winning the four majors in a calendar year. He did it in three sets: 6-3, 7-6 (5) and 6-3 in three hours and 17 minutes.
Djokovic is the man with the most grand slams, with 24, two more than Nadal, who will return to the competition next season, and four more than Federer, who retired a year ago. He is equal with Margaret Courtwho achieved 24 wins five years ago, and will be able to surpass him in the next Australian Open, where he is the absolute king, with ten titles.
390 weeks as number one
In addition, Djokovic yesterday began his 390th week as number one, more than any other tennis player, man or woman, in history. His defense of the throne will not be easy, because, between now and the end of the year, he will put 2,850 points at stake, for the titles of Tel Aviv and Astana – which he will surely lose by not playing these tournaments -, and the ATP Finals, which he won undefeated. . To this we must add the Paris-Bercy final. However, the Serbian has the advantage that this year there will be an Asian tour, so he would be eligible for a bonus of 1,500 points if he won in Beijing y Shanghai.
In a record like Djokovic’s, number one is practically an anecdote, but he is guaranteed 396 weeks as the best and, if he retains the title until next November 20, he will reach 400 weeks at the top. A nice decoration for the resume. As are the 39 1,000 masters—three more than Nadal and eleven more than Federer—, the milestone of being the only one to win them all and having done so twice, the rivalries won against the Swiss (27-23) and the Spaniard (30 -29), having been the closest to equaling Rod Laverwith four years with three grand slams (2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023) and being the only one who has won them all at least three times.
Challenges to meet
This does not mean that he does not have challenges yet to meet, such as separating himself from Federer and having more master’s titles than anyone else – they are tied at six -, reaching 109 windings in Jimmy Connorsone of the most difficult records, —it has 96— and to get a olympic medal. Since his first participation, in Beijing 2008, Djokovic has accumulated a bronze in the Chinese event, two fourth places, in London 2012 and Tokyo 2016, and a first round in Rio de Janeiro. Paris 2024, with the tournament at the Roland Garros venue, is one more motivation for Djokovic not to hang up his racket.
But, without a generation capable of displacing him, the Serb has no reason to leave on the horizon. As long as he can handle a body that has been reimagined over the years and that, aside from the elbow operation in 2017, he has hardly suffered any serious problems.
Novak Djokovic. the tennis player who could reign and reigned
Carlos Lopez
“As long as I keep winning, I’m not going to leave this,” said the Serbian, whose next stop is this week, without rest, in the group stage of the Davis cup. There, Djokovic will lead Serbia in a group in which they will face Spain, South Korea and the Czech Republic. With a title in 2010, Djokovic also has his Davis passport sealed, but he will be in Valencia with his team. Something that Alcaraz will not do, who, after falling to Medvedev and giving up number one, announced that he will not attend.
Filed in: Tennis Novak Djokovic
2023-09-11 18:52:00
#Djokovic #continue #long #continue #winning
