US Open 2023: Novak Djokovic wins 24th Grand Slam title after beating Daniil Medvedev in hard-fought final

Novak Djokovic stormed to his fourth title at Flushing Meadows after beating a resurgent Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in the final of the US Open men’s singles on Sunday, September 10. After three hours and 16 minutes, the Serbian legend racked up his 24th Grand Slam singles title in his 36th career final.

He also equaled the legendary Margaret Court's record of most major singles titles. Moreover, Djokovic also became the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open Era.

Playing in his 10th US Open final, Djokovic seized the initiative by taking an early break and eventually taking a 3-0 lead in the opening set. The veteran did not look back from there and closed out the set in 48 minutes. At 2-5, Medvedev saved a break and set point to somehow stay alive. In the end, an unforced error from Medvedev brought the curtains down on the set.

At that point in time, Djokovic had the odds in his favour. In the last 30 years, players losing the opening set, had gone on to win the men’s singles final only three times. Djokovic was at the end of the receiving end once back in 2016 when he lost to Stan Wawrinka. Hence, Medvedev would still have fancied his chances even after losing the first set.

DJOKOVIC POWERING AWAY

In the second set, both players held on to their serves to make it 3-3. Thereafter, Djokovic and Medvedev were involved in a stunning 31-shot rally after which the former laid on the ground, maybe out of tiredness. During this while, the 27-year-old Medvedev survived the scare of conceding a break to holding his serve.

Djokovic was feeling the heat as fatigue was catching up with him. The four double faults that he made in the set showed that he was losing control over his body. At 5-6, he saved a set point to force a tie-break. In 2023, Djokovic had won 25 tie-breaks and lost only five.

He extended it to 26 to show why he is deemed as one of the best in the business even at the age of 36. The second lasted for an hour and 44 minutes, the longest in the US Open this year.

DJOKOVIC FIGHTS PAST MEDVEDEV

Dokovic earned his second service break of the match and took a lead of 3-1 in the third set. It was much needed for him after how he struggled in the second set. Just when it seemed that Djokovic would run away with the set, the match and the championship, Medvedev responded brilliantly by earning the break back.

Dokovic earned his second service break of the match and took a lead of 3-1 in the third set. It was much needed for him after how he struggled in the second set. Just when it seemed that Djokovic would run away with the set, the match and the championship, Medvedev responded brilliantly by earning the break back.

But Djokovic showed nerves of steel to win another service break and put the pressure right back on Medvedev for the second time in the set. Thereafter, he held his serve to make sure that Medvedev served to stay alive in the match.

Medevev had to earn a break of serve somehow to keep himself afloat in the match. At 3-5, 30-30, he did had a chance, but Djokovic denied him the break to come up trumps in the thriller.