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Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his victory towards Ben Shelton of the US throughout their Males’s Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2023 US Open on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart on September 08, 2023 within the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York Metropolis. Clive Brunskill/Getty Pictures/AFP
As Novak Djokovic once more stands on the verge of historical past on the US Open, he has a rating to settle with Daniil Medvedev after his loss to the Russian within the 2021 ultimate value him a calendar Grand Slam.
Medvedev defeated Djokovic in straight units two years in the past to forestall the Serbian from changing into the primary man to win all 4 Grand Slams in the identical 12 months since Australian nice Rod Laver in 1969.
On Sunday the 36-year-old Djokovic goes in quest of a record-equaling twenty fourth Grand Slam singles title towards Medvedev, who unseated reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping semifinal.
Djokovic will return to world primary subsequent week, however he’s cautious of being swept up by the importance of the event in New York.
“Each time in a Grand Slam ultimate it’s one other shot for historical past, you recognize, and I’m conscious of it, and naturally I’m very pleased with it,” stated Djokovic.
“However once more, I don’t have a lot time nor do I enable myself to mirror on this stuff or take into consideration the historical past an excessive amount of on this sense.
“As a result of once I did that previously, like, ’21 finals right here I used to be possibly overwhelmed with the event and the chance and I underperformed.
“So I don’t need this to occur once more.”
Djokovic fell agonizingly in need of matching Margaret Court docket’s all-time mark for many Grand Slam singles titles when he misplaced to Alcaraz in 5 units within the Wimbledon ultimate in July.
That is still his solely defeat on the majors since a quarterfinal loss to Rafael Nadal on the 2022 French Open. He’s 33-1 on the Slams since then.
Djokovic is the primary man within the Open period to play in 10 finals at two completely different Grand Slams. He has an ideal report on the Australian Open, however New York is the location of a few of his greatest disappointments.
‘Age is only a quantity’
He’s simply 3-6 in US Open finals however might turn out to be its oldest males’s champion within the trendy period, surpassing Australia’s Ken Rosewall who was 35 when he received in 1970.
“Bodily I’ve been as match or as ready, as robust as, I don’t wish to say as ever, however, I imply, nearly as good as I’ve been in years and years,” stated Djokovic, who swept past 20-year-old Ben Shelton within the final 4.
“Age is only a quantity, that phrase is resonating in the intervening time with me. And, you recognize, I don’t wish to even think about leaving tennis or fascinated about an finish if I’m nonetheless on the prime of the sport.
“I simply don’t see a motive for that.”
Daniil Medvedev of Russia celebrates after defeating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain throughout their Males’s Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2023 US Open on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart on September 08, 2023 within the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York Metropolis. Matthew Stockman/Getty Pictures/AFP
Medvedev avenged his Wimbledon semifinal whipping by Alcaraz to achieve his fifth Grand Slam ultimate.
The 27-year-old Russian misplaced a five-set basic to Rafael Nadal right here in 2019. He was additionally overwhelmed by Djokovic in Melbourne two years later earlier than happening to Nadal on the following Australian Open.
“If I lose on Sunday, the match, it’s prefer it’s a superb match however I’m going to be hell of a dissatisfied. That’s how tennis is,” stated Medvedev.
Djokovic leads the head-to-head 9-5 however Medvedev is aware of his rival needs to set the report straight after the 2021 ultimate defeat which left him in tears.
“I feel the one approach I can use it’s, as I say, considering that Novak, when he loses, he’s by no means the identical after,” stated Medvedev.
“So he’s completely different. It’s only a completely different mentality. That’s why he has 23 Grand Slams, no matter, Masters 1000s, weeks at primary.”
“So I’ve to make use of it realizing that he’s going to be 10 occasions higher than he was that day. And I’ve to be, if I wish to nonetheless beat him, 10 occasions higher than I used to be that day.”
Medvedev has already torn up the script as soon as this match with a “12 out of 10” efficiency towards Alcaraz. He may have one other off-the-charts show to disclaim Djokovic yet one more time.
“Novak goes to be his finest model on Sunday, and I’ve to be the all time model of myself if I wish to attempt to beat him.”
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