Novak Djokovic won the US Open Sunday, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in the men’s final to extend his record grand slam singles titles to 24.
The world No. 2 has further cemented himself as one of the greatest tennis players ever – with Sunday’s win, he matches Margaret Court’s record for most all-time grand slam titles.
In a rematch of the 2021 US Open final, the Serbian avenged his loss to No. 3 seed Medvedev at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York to complete his triumphant return to the United States.
“It obviously means the world to me,” Djokovic said after the match. “I’m really living my childhood dream to compete at the highest level in the sport that has given me and my family so much.”
Playing in front of a who’s who crowd, Djokovic was in his usual dominant form in the first set, never facing a break point, while hitting 12 winners in nine games. Entering tonight, Djokovic was 72-1 all-time at the US Open when winning the first set, with his only loss coming to Stan Wawrinka in the 2016 final.
The second set proved to be more competitive, as Djokovic and Medvedev exchanged games in a nail-biting back and forth, culminating in the Serb’s 7-5 tiebreak victory after an hour and 45 minutes.
From there, with the momentum in his favor and a fourth US Open title a set away, Djokovic cruised to victory, needing only one championship point to seal the historic title.
With the victory, the 36-year-old becomes oldest man to win the US Open singles title in the Open era and the first man to win three grand slam titles in a season for the fourth time – previously doing so in 2011, 2015 and 2021.
Djokovic also extends his lead over Spaniard Rafael Nadal (22) and Switzerland’s Roger Federer (20) for most men’s singles titles of all time.
“To make history of this sport is truly remarkable and special in every possible and every possible meaning of the word special,” Djokovic said.
Sitting in the front row during the game was Djokovic’s 6-year daughter, he said during a news conference after the match, sharing with reporters that she would smile at him when he needed her energy most.
It was important to him that his daughter – as well as his 9-year-old son – got to experience their father win when they were old enough to understand the victory, he said.
And as for what keeps him going, Djokovic said: “I don’t want to leave the sport if I’m still playing at the top.”
Djokovic pays homage to legend with historic win
After his win, an emotional Djokovic momentarily dropped to his hands and knees before walking toward his family in the stands to celebrate.
When he returned to the court, Djokovic honored the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant by changing into a blue shirt bearing a photo of himself and the Lakers legend with the words “Mamba Forever” emblazoned on the front, and the number on the back. Bryant wore the number 24 in the second half of his professional basketball career.
“I thought it could be a nice symbolic thing to acknowledge him,” said Djokovic, who considered Bryant a close friend.
“We chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with the injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game,” Djokovic said of his relationship with Bryant. “He was one of the people that I rely on the most. He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way.”
Opportunities to make history
At every grand slam this year, Djokovic had an opportunity to make history.
He drew level with Rafael Nadal’s 22 grand slam titles at the Australian Open, pulled clear with a men’s record 23 grand slam titles at the French Open and was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Standing in his way Sunday was third seed Daniil Medvedev, who stunned Alcaraz in the semifinals and who already defeated Djokovic in a US Open final before, and in straight sets.
Though Medvedev’s game remains perfectly suited to the fast hard courts, he was expecting Djokovic to be “10 times better than he was that day.”
“Against Novak, it’s the same. He is always better than previous time he plays,” Medvedev had said, according to the ATP Tour. “For example, I beat him in the US Open final, he beat me in Bercy in a great match. Carlos beat him at Wimbledon, he beat him in Cincinnati. Novak is going to be his best version on Sunday, and I have to be the best-ever version of myself if I want to try to beat him.”
Djokovic is unvaccinated against Covid-19 and had been unable to enter the country for the past two years. However, vaccine requirements for non-US travelers were lifted earlier this year, enabling Djokovic to make his return.
The Serb will have an opportunity to pass Court and etch his name as the all-time winningest player at the Australian Open in January 2024.
‘Every final could be the last one’
When Djokovic and Medvedev last played each other in a grand slam final, it was the Russian who upset the odds and thwarted Djokovic’s attempt to win a then record 21st slam and complete the first men’s calendar grand slam – winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year – since Rod Laver in 1969.
Since winning his first-ever grand slam at that US Open in 2021, Medvedev has come close to winning another, taking a two-set lead in the 2022 Australian Open final against Nadal but eventually succumbed to defeat.
“The challenge is that you play a guy who won 23 grand slams and I have only one,” he said, according to the US Open. “When I beat him here (in the 2021 final), I managed to play better than myself, and I need to do it again. There is no other way.”
At 36, Djokovic could become the oldest man to win the US Open singles title in the Open Era, surpassing the record set by Ken Rosewall in 1970.
“Every Grand Slam final could be the last one,” he told reporters ahead of the final. “Ten years ago, I felt like, ‘Hey, I still have quite a few years ahead of me.’ I don’t know how many I have ahead of me now, or how many years where I [can] play four Slams in the whole season. So I am aware of the occasion.”
It will be Djokovic’s 101st match at the US Open, a tournament which he has won three times already in his career, though not since 2018.
‘You want to fight ‘til the end’
Djokovic had a relatively straightforward run to the final, aside from surviving a scare in the third round when he found himself two sets down against his compatriot Laslo Djere, he completed every other match in just three sets, minimizing his time on court as he has swept aside the competition.
It marks a remarkable end to a year in which he has reached the final of every grand slam, adding two more titles to his collection, after a 2022 in which he could not compete in Australia or the USA due to his decision to remain unvaccinated against Covid-19.
For Medvedev, playing in the US Open final caps an impressive hard-court season in which he reached five consecutive finals on the surface and won four titles.
His performance against Alcaraz in the semifinals displayed his powerful serve, shotmaking and tenacity, all marking him as a difficult opponent for Djokovic.
“You want to fight ‘til the end, you want to win,” Medvedev said, according to the ATP. “And that’s how you should be in the final of a grand slam.”
CNN’s Eryn Mathewson contributed to this report.
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