The Serbian wins his 24th Slam title
Novak Djokovic wins the 2023 US Open. The 36-year-old Serbian, seeded number 2, beats Russian Daniil Medvedev in the finalnumber 3 in the men’s singles draw, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in 3h16′.
Djokovic avenges defeat in 2021 final, wins US Open for fourth time in career and claims 24th Grand Slam titleupdating the record haul that stands out among the 96 tournaments won in his career.
The former world number 1 crowns a stellar 2023, enhanced by successes at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. Only the defeat in the final at Wimbledon against the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, world number 1 beaten in New York by Medvedev in the semi-final, prevented Nole from ending the year with the Grand Slam.
In the final in New York, the Serbian attacks often and gets the most out of the net (37 points out of 44). The serve is not at its best (55% of first balls), but Medvedev only has 3 break points in the whole match and uses just one of them. The Russian holds his own in the marathon rallies, but in the end he collects 38 gratuitous errors and wins only 1 point out of 3 (14/37) when he serves the second ball: too many gifts for the Belgrade phenomenon.
THE MATCH
Djokovic starts off fired and immediately flies to 3-0: Medvedev comes out of the blocks poorly and in the first turn of serve gives up serve to zero. It’s a more than enough advantage for the Belgrade champion, who doesn’t even concede a break point to his rival in the first half. Nole has the first set point at his disposal at 5-2 but doesn’t exploit it. In the next game, he archives the case without worries: 6-3.
Medvedev holds his own at the start of the second set. The Russian has to grind tennis to hold serve, while not granting break points to his rival. Djokovic collapses to the ground after an interminable point, lost at the end of an exchange of 31 shots. The Serbian wall shows a first crack in the eighth game: the world number 2 cancels the first break point in a game that requires 14 points.
Similar situation when Medvedev is ahead 6-5: Djokovic cancels a set point with an applause-worthy demi-volley and, after 10 minutes in apnea, reaches the tie-break out of breath. The Russian tries to escape (3-1), then finds himself chasing (3-4) and puts his head back (5-4) before collapsing. Three errors in a row, a forehand and two backhands, they bring the curtain down on the set (7-5) which Djokovic takes home after 1h44′. Medvedev is on the ropes, the wasted chances weigh heavily and the climb becomes increasingly steeper.
The Russian breaks up and in the third game of the third set he seems to virtually raise the white flag: he gives up the serve, Djokovic extends. Actually, no. Medvedev immediately recovers the break (2-3): there is still one match. The illusion vanishes immediately. The third consecutive break arrives, the Russian sinks behind 2-4. Djokovic goes on autopilot for the last straight: 6-3, he is the king of New York.
Source-www.adnkronos.com