The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

US Open: Djokovic for history, Medvedev for a first

2021-09-11T23:20:16.755Z


If he wins the US Open on Sunday in the final against Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic will have succeeded in the calendar Grand Slam, achieving the greatest feat of the Open era for men.


Challenges

To discover

  • US Open: men's calendar

  • US Open: ladies calendar

Novak Djokovic

 : Winner of the first three Grand Slams of the season, Novak Djokovic will aim for the second calendar Grand Slam of the Open era on Sunday.

An exploit, achieved only once in 1969 by Rod Laver.

And in the event of a third career coronation in New York, Djokovic would thus glean a 21st Grand Slam title and beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (20) to claim the GOAT title more than ever.



Daniil Medvedev

 : After pushing Rafael Nadal to the fifth set for his first major final, at the US Open 2019, after an epic fight, the Russian dreams of upsetting the Serbian in his race for records.

In February at the Australian Open, he had again failed on the last step, dominated, without dispute this time by… Djokovic.

Their journeys in New York

Novak Djokovic

The Serbian suffered to reach another Grand Slam final. Faced with the unknown Vitus Nodskov Rune he gave up a tournament entry set 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1. Apart from Tallon Griekspoor in the second round (6-2, 6-3, 6-2 victory), the Serbian dropped the first set then against Kei Nishikori 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3, 6 -2 in the 3rd round, Jenson Brooksby 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the round of 16 and against Matteo Berrettini in the quarters 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. It then took him 5 rounds to tame Alexander Zverev.

Daniil Medvedev

Less cold sweats for Medvedev.

The most French of the Russians has yielded only one set in six games and spent less than two hours on the court per game.

He dominated without forcing Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-3, 6-1, Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-4, 6-3, Dominik Koepfer 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, Daniel Evans 6 -3, 6-4, 6-3, before dropping a set on the way to (small) scares in the quarterfinals against the qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.4 .

Vasek Pospisil, (1st round), Roberto Carballes Baena (2nd round) and MacKenzie McDonald (8th), however, did not exist, all swept away in three dry sets.

Same price for Félix Auger Aliassime in the quarter-finals,.

What to approach his shock against Djokovic with some certainties.

Face to face

Carried, then, by his twenty victories in a row since November 2020, Daniil Medvedev, 25, seemed armed to defeat world number 1 Novak Djokovic "

at home

" in Melbourne last February. Missed. The world number one sent the Russian back to his dear studies in the final 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. Yet Medvedev is not allergic to Serbian. “

I like playing against Novak. The first time I played it I was 60th. We have always had difficult matches, mentally and physically. And he's one of the greatest players in history.

If Medvedev likes to play against Nole, not sure the reverse is true.

In terms of face-to-face, the boss of world tennis leads with difficulty 5-3.

Their other Grand Slam clash took place on the third round of the 2019 Australian Open, with a victory hung in four sets by the Serbian (6-4, 6-7 [5], 6-2, 6-3) .

Some figures before the final

5

Novak Djokovic can join, the very closed circle of players, five to date, having achieved the Grand Slam in singles, the same year.

For men, Donald Budge in 1938 did so for amateurs.

The Australian Rod Laver imitated it in 1962 among amateurs then in 1969 among professionals.

In women's tennis, this feat was achieved by Maureen Connoly (1953) among amateurs.

Then later by Margaret Court in 1970 and Steffi Graf in 1988.

21

Novak Djokovic is running for a calendar Grand Slam and a 21st major in Major.

If successful, the Serbian would get ahead of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (20 titles) and set the record for Grand Slam success for men.

31

With 31 Grand Slam finals in 67 appearances between 2007 and 2021, the Serbian is equal to a certain Roger Federer, 31 in Majors between 2003 and 2019, in 81 participations.

151

If he wins on Sunday, Daniil Medevev can become the 151st player to win a Grand Slam title in men's tennis history.

What they said

Daniil Medvedev

 : “

The more you fail to win something, the more you want it. I lost two finals. I want to win the third. I will try to do more than I did the first two times. The first time, playing against Rafa, I was a bit of an outsider. I was already happy to be in the final. Everything was positive which helped me to play well. I didn't feel that I absolutely had to win (...) In Melbourne, Novak played differently compared to the other matches in the tournament and I wasn't ready for that. Now I am. The thing that I understood is that I did not leave my heart on the court. That's what I'm going to try to do this time (…) It's more him (Djokovic) that this scenario affects. He's gonna feel the pressure for surebut on the other hand, that's what's gonna make it even better in tough times

".

Novak Djokovic

I know you want to talk about the historical nature of what I can accomplish. I know what is at stake. I am aware of it. But I'm just trying to lock myself into what works for me. I isolate myself. I gather all the energy needed for the next fight. I said it on the court. I'm going to play this game like it's the last. Because it is arguably the most important of my career. It will be a battle against another guy who is in really great shape, Medvedev. We played earlier this year in the Australian Open final (which he won). I know what is expected of me. He has two Grand Slam finals behind him. I'm sure he's going to give his all to get his first Major.

"

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2021-09-11

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.