Medvedev wins US Open, ends Djokovic calendar Grand Slam bid
Sep 12, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Daniil Medvedev of Russia reacts after winning a game in the third set against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men’s singles final on day fourteen of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
Daniil Medvedev recorded 16 aces and ended Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a calendar grand slam with a dominating 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory in the US Open final on Sunday in New York.
The 25-year-old Medvedev won his first Grand Slam title while preventing Djokovic from joining legendary Rod Laver (1969) as men who won all four Grand Slam events in the same year.
Djokovic also was seeking to win a record 21st Grand Slam crown. He remains tied with Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Spain’s Rafael Nadal, neither of whom entered the US Open this year.
Medvedev had 38 winners and 31 unforced errors while notching the biggest victory of his career. The victory was assured when Djokovic returned a serve into the net.
The Russian came close to winning the US Open in 2019 but lost a five-set thriller to Nadal.
Djokovic was 27-0 in Grand Slam matches this season prior to Sunday’s loss in two hours and 16 minutes.
Djokovic also trailed by two sets in this year’s French Open final before rallying to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
Djokovic had six aces among 27 winners but committed 38 unforced errors.
Medvedev won the first four games of the third set to keep the pressure on Djokovic.
Djokovic won two of the next three games before Medvedev had a match point in the following game.
But Medvedev double-faulted and Djokovic won the game to remain alive. He also won the next game to pull within 5-4 before Medvedev closed it out.
Medvedev won the first two games of the opening set while quickly asserting he was in top form.
After closing out the opening set, he fell behind 2-1 in the second before winning four of the next five games en route to winning that set.
