NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic emerged from a thrilling and arduous U.S. Open ultimate with a twenty fourth Grand Slam identify on Sunday evening, the use of each and every ounce of his power and a few serve-and-volley guile to get previous Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a fit that was once extra intently contested than the straight-set ranking indicated.
Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, moved one main singles identify in entrance of Serena Williams to turn into the primary participant to win 24 within the Open technology, which started in 1968. Margaret Courtroom additionally amassed a complete of 24, however 13 of the ones got here ahead of pros had been admitted to the Slam occasions.
There have been moments, specifically within the 1-hour, 44-minute 2d set that was once as a lot about tenacity as skill, when Djokovic gave the impression to be faltering. After one of the most maximum grueling issues — and there have been many — he would lean over with fingers on knees or use his racket for toughen or pause to stretch his legs.
This triumph in opposition to Medvedev, the opponent who beat him within the 2021 ultimate at Flushing Meadows to forestall a bid for the primary calendar-year Grand Slam in additional than a half-century, made Djokovic the oldest male champion on the U.S. Open within the Open technology.
Clive Brunskill by means of Getty Pictures
Djokovic’s fourth championship in New York, the place he was once not able to compete a yr in the past as a result of he isn’t vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, is going along his 10 trophies from the Australian Open, seven from Wimbledon and 3 from the French Open, extending his lead at the males’s Slam record. Rafael Nadal, who has been sidelined since January with a hip downside that required surgical procedure, is subsequent with 22; Roger Federer, who introduced his retirement a yr in the past, completed with 20.
As excellent as ever, Djokovic went 27-1 within the recreation’s maximum prestigious occasions this season: The lone blemish was once a loss to Carlos Alcaraz within the ultimate at Wimbledon in July. Djokovic will upward push to No. 1 within the ratings on Monday, overtaking Alcaraz, who was once the protecting champion at Flushing Meadows however was once eradicated by means of No. 3 Medvedev.
At the beginning Sunday, with the Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof close as a result of rain within the forecast, Djokovic was once relaxed as will also be. No signal of the instance weighing on him, no hint of the stress he said in brief arose overdue in his semifinal in opposition to unseeded American Ben Shelton.