There have been 14 earlier tour-level conferences between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, however there could also be just one behind every participant’s thoughts as they step out Sunday on Arthur Ashe Stadium to compete within the US Open championship match.
Medvedev’s straight-sets victory within the 2021 last at Flushing Meadows shouldn’t be solely remembered because the second he lifted his maiden main trophy. With his 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win, he additionally denied Djokovic a historic calendar-year Grand Slam. The 27-year-old shouldn’t be relying on the same consequence this time round.
“I believe the one method I can use [the 2021 final] is considering that Novak, when he loses, he is by no means the identical after. He’s completely different. It’s only a completely different mentality,” stated Medvedev on Friday evening after downing high seed Carlos Alcaraz within the semi-finals. “That’s why he has 23 Grand Slams, [all those] Masters 1000s and weeks at No. 1.
“So I’ve to make use of it understanding that he will be 10 occasions higher than he was that day, and I’ve to be, if I wish to nonetheless beat him, 10 occasions higher than I used to be that day. That’s what I’m going to attempt to do.”
Medvedev in motion in opposition to Carlos Alcaraz on Friday in New York. Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images
After narrowly lacking out to Alcaraz within the last at Wimbledon, the calendar-year Grand Slam shouldn’t be on the road this time round for Djokovic in New York. Yet his triumphs this yr on the Australian Open and Roland Garros, which took him previous Rafael Nadal to a file 23 main males’s singles titles, have positioned him in history-setting territory at each main he enters regardless.
“I perceive each time in a Grand Slam last, it is one other shot for historical past,” stated Djokovic after easing previous #NextGenATP American Ben Shelton within the semi-finals. “I’m conscious of it, and naturally I’m very happy with it, however I haven’t got a lot time, nor do I enable myself to replicate on these items or take into consideration the historical past an excessive amount of on this sense. When I did that previously, just like the 2021 last right here, I used to be possibly overwhelmed with the event and the chance, and I underperformed.
“I do not need this to occur once more, and I’ll attempt to simply deal with what must be executed and tactically put together myself for that match.”
Aside from an exciting five-set comeback win in opposition to Laslo Djere within the third spherical, Djokovic has cruised to his record-equalling tenth US Open last this fortnight with out dropping one other set. The 36-year-old’s return sport has been in significantly superb fettle all through and appeared to cope with Shelton’s lefty thunderbolts with ease on Friday. Yet Medvedev will nonetheless really feel his supply may very well be the important thing to getting on high of the Serbian as he seems to enhance his 29-5 US Open file.
“I are inclined to play aggressive, quick, I serve effectively,” stated Medvedev when requested about potential causes behind his sturdy showings through the years at Flushing Meadows. “Probably the velocity of the courtroom helps me. For instance, Indian Wells, that I received to the ultimate was superb, as a result of I principally cannot hit the ball there. It has nothing to do with my forehand, so I beat some good guys there, some good matches, however as quickly as I received somebody like Carlos along with his model of play, it was sort of over for me.”
Faced with an opponent equally as comfy settling in for prolonged rallies, Djokovic could look to take advantage of Medvedev’s famend deep returning place by shifting ahead to try to rating fast factors. The Serbian has loved success in opposition to Medvedev’s distinctive gamestyle previously — Djokovic holds a 9-5 Lexus ATP Head2Headvert sequence lead in opposition to the World No. 3 and has gained 4 of the pair’s 5 earlier tour-level conferences.
Most US Open (Formerly US National Championships) Final Appearances Of All Time
| Player | US Open Finals |
| Bill Tilden | 10 |
| Novak Djokovic | 10 |
| William Larned | 9 |
| Pete Sampras | 8 |
| Ivan Lendl | 8 |
| Bill Johnston | 8 |
Medvedev can look to the latest of these clashes for confidence, nevertheless. The 27-year-old downed the Serbian in straight units within the Dubai semi-finals in February, a win that got here within the midst of a 19-match profitable streak on laborious courts throughout February and March. Again, nevertheless, Medvedev is cautious of a Djokovic hungry for revenge.
“Against Novak, it is the identical. He is at all times higher than the earlier time he performs,” stated Medvedev, who has solely crushed Djokovic in consecutive matches as soon as (Monte-Carlo & Cincinnati, 2019). “For instance, I beat him within the US Open last [in 2021]; he beat me in Bercy in an awesome match. Carlos beat him at Wimbledon; [Novak] beat him in Cincinnati.
“Novak goes to be his finest model on Sunday, and I’ve to be the all-time model of myself if I wish to attempt to beat him.”
2023 Tour-level Win Leaders On Hard Courts
| Player | W-L |
| Daniil Medvedev | 38-5 |
| Taylor Fritz | 35-10 |
| Jannik Sinner | 28-7 |
| Novak Djokovic | 26-1 |
| Tommy Paul | 26-10 |
| Alex de Minaur | 26-11 |
Djokovic and Medvedev’s focus for Sunday’s last could also be taking their last probability for Grand Slam glory this season, however the end result will even have massive implications for the race to complete as year-end No. 1. If Medvedev triumphs, he’ll transfer inside 1000 factors of each the Serbian and Alcaraz within the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, establishing an intriguing three-way battle for the ultimate few months of the season.
Yet stopping Djokovic from profitable three majors in a calendar yr for the fourth time might be some process: The Serbian, who’s assured to usurp No. 1 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings from Alcaraz on Monday, enters the match with a 26-1 file on the majors this yr.
“I’m clearly over the moon with the outcomes thus far on Grand Slams,” stated Djokovic. “Playing in all 4 finals of all 4 Slams in a season is superb. It’s the very best achievement I can take into consideration after I begin the season. That’s what I dream about, that is what I actually needed, that is the place I wish to be, in this sort of place.
“There is another match left, so of course this conversation will be probably even better if I win the title. But definitely whatever happens, I’m extremely proud and content with what I have achieved this year in Grand Slams.”
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Source: www.atptour.com