US Open: Djokovic lost his bet but won hearts

The 34-year-old champion did not lose everything on Sunday.

He, who has not supported the weight of history, thus failing to achieve the feat of a Grand Slam over a year, remains stuck at 20 coronations, still tied with his eternal rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, but he also groomed his popularity.

Him the unloved of the Big Three, much less popular than Federer and Nadal.

Rightly or wrongly, he has often had to face hostile audiences in his career.

Faced with the enormous stakes, the Djokovic machine got out of hand.

Human, too human in his tennis weaknesses as in his emotions.

And it touched the New York public.

To discover

• US Open: men's calendar

• US Open: ladies calendar

Djokovic in all his forms. In the second set, he had the opportunity to break his opponent three times in the first game. Frustrated to have seen a point replay on a second ball from the Russian because of a very late announcement on a let, the world number 1 then spent his nerves on his racquet. He first slapped the racket on his right thigh several times, then smashed it completely on the hard court two games later. He then received a logical warning.

Face hidden under his towel, haggard look, he seemed lost on Arthur Ashe for a long time. Back to the wall, led 5-1 in the third act, he then received a standing ovation from the audience. The 23,000 spectators of Arthur Ashe, being almost 100% behind him. And cheered him on when Medvedev got his first breakthrough. At the change of side, when he had just unboxed for the first time and saved a match point, the world number 1 launched a smile, his hand on his heart, before bursting into tears. A touching image.

At the awards ceremony, the tears had not yet dried. After congratulating Daniil Medvedev, the world number 1 tried to put his disappointment into perspective: “