That’s all for tonight. Thanks as always for following along and be sure to read Tumaini Carayol’s full report off the match here.
“To make the history of this sport is just something truly remarkable and special,” Djokovic continues. “In every possible way and in every posisble meaning of the word special. It’s hard to describe in words. I had a childhood dream when I was 7, 8. I wanted to become the best player in the world and win Wimbledon trophy. That was the only thing I wanted. But when I realize that, obviously, I started to dream new dreams and set new objectives, new goals, I never imagined that I would be here standing with you talking about 24 slams. I never thought that that would be the reality. But the last couple of years I felt I have a chance, I have a shot at history, and why not grab it if it’s presented?”
“I don’t know where to start,” Djokovic says. “It obviously means the world to me. I’m kind of repeating myself but I have to say it every time: I’m really living my childhood dream to compete at the highest level in the sport that has given me and my family so much. Coming from very difficult circumstances and adversities, during the 90s, a couple of wars in our country, and being able to push through. Especially for my parents, giving a lot of sacrifice to support me to play. I love you so much.”
He continues: “To support me to play the sport, which is a very expensive sport. At that time, very expensive, not accessible, not affordable. But I fell in love with the tennis. No one has played tennis in my family before. It was quite a choice I must say. But incredible resilience, just belief from my parents and all the people around me. All these years, my wife, my kids, my team, everyone that is there. This is your trophy as much as it is mine. This is your success. I love you.”
Medvedev goes on to thank his wife, his family and his team. He’s then asked what the matchup with Djokovic has come to mean to him and his career.
“From one side I can say, and really I find this amazing, that I beat Novak in a grand slam final, which probably at this moment is the pinnacle of my career,” he says. “At the same time, maybe if he and Rafa didn’t exist ... I played five finals against them and I only managed to win one! So I don’t know if it’s good or bad. But you know, [Djokovic] pushes me to be better.
“I said this one time in Australia but I’m going to say it again because it’s a different city, new people. When we first played I was probably 500 in the world. And he was super kind to me. Nothing special, but he treated me like a normal person. And he still does. Nothing changed: 24, 30, 12 grand slams? Nothing changes. And I think that’s something great about a person you can say. “
“First of all I want to ask Novak: What are you still doing here? Come on!” Medvedev says. “Jokes apart, what is it? Our third final? Maybe not the last. I hope so, because you’re probably going to be in many more. I don’t know when you are planning to slow down a little bit. Congrats to you and your team. I mean, 24. I feel like I have not a bad career and I have 20 titles. You have 24 grand slams. Wow.”
Djokovic makes his way into his player box to celebrate. After returning to the court, he pulls a graphic tee from his bag reading MAMBA MENTALITY that features images of himself and Kobe Bryant. The trophy ceremony is about to start and 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick is there to assist.
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Djokovic wins 6-3, 7-6, 6-3!
Third set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 3-6 Djokovic
Medvedev showing fight till the end, hitting a forehand passing return winner on the serve-and-volley for love-15. But Djokovic responds with a volley winner, then watches Medvedev send a forehand sailing past the baseline for 30-15. Two points from the title again, but this time on his racket. And now Djokovic double-faults for the sixth time. 30-all and the crowd buzzes for a long time before the next point. A rally of 21 shots ensues and Medvedev tries to win it with a backhand into the corner ... but misses! Championship point for Djokovic at 40-30. And it’s over after Medvedev nets a forehand early in the point! Novak Djokovic is the US Open champion for a fourth time!
Third set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 3-5 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev coming apart. He’s gone down love-30 on his serve as Djokovic extends his streak of 10 straight points won. The Serb is two points from the title. But Medvedev rattles off four points to hold from there and will force Djokovic to serve it out.
Third set: *Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 2-5 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic holds at love in the blink of an eye and he’s four points from the trophy.
Djokovic breaks in sixth game in third set!
Third set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 2-4 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Djokovic breaks from love-30 down, helped along by another Medvedev double fault. After one break in the first three hours, we’ve seen three breaks in the last three service games. Djokovic is two games from a 24th grand slam title.
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Medvedev breaks in fifth game of third set!
Third set: *Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 2-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
And just like that, Djokovic turns in by far his loosest service game of the match. He makes three unforced errors and is broken at 15. We’re back on serve in the third.
Djokovic breaks in fourth game of third set!
Third set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 1-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev makes his 30th and 31st unforced errors to fall behind 15-30, then can’t handle a Djokovic forehand on the next point for 15-40 and double break point. But Djokovic needs only the first as Medvedev donates his 32nd unforced (against 28 winners). He’s been broken for the first time since the opening game and the finish line is in sight for Djokovic!
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Third set: *Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 1-2 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic is pushed to 30-all on his serve. But he responds with a 106mph first serve out wide that Medvedev can’t return, then wins another serve-and-volley attempt by forcing an error with a forehand passing shot. He’s 32 of 36 on points at the net (compared to 14 of 19 for Medvedev).
Third set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 1-1 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev holds at love. Three unreturnable serves and a forehand winner to cap an 11-shot rally. On we go.
Third set: *Medvedev 3-6, 6-7, 0-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic breezes through his opening service game of the third set. Lest we forget the Serbian’s career record in five-set matches when he wins the first two sets: 276 wins, one defeat (to Jurgen Melzer at the 2010 French Open).
Djokovic wins second set, 7-6!
Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-7 Djokovic
Second-set tiebreaker: Medvedev 5-6 Djokovic
Djokovic wins a 21-shot rally on his serve, hammering Medvedev’s backhand one, two, three, four times in a row before he breaks, then follows with a 104mph unreturnable serve. Set point on Medvedev’s racket. And Medvedev nets a backhand early in the rally! Oh wow! Djokovic has won the tiebreaker after a second set that lasted 104 (!) minutes.
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Second-set tiebreaker: Medvedev 5-4 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Djokovic holds his remaining service point after the changeover. Then Medvedev holds both of his with a pair of extraordinary rallies of 17 and 23 strokes that bring the capacity crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to its feet!
Second-set tiebreaker: Medvedev 3-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev gets the best of a 17-shot rally for 3-1, but makes an unforced error early in the next point to give back the minibreak. After Djokovic follows with 121mph unreturnable serve, we’re at 3-all and on serve going into the change of ends.
Second-set tiebreaker: *Medvedev 2-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic is first to blink, netting a backhand from the middle of the court early in his opening service point, before holding the next for 1-2.
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Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 6-6 Djokovic
Djokovic goes behind love-15 after Medvedev opens this critical 12th game with an overhand winner. Djokovic rattles off two quick points but follows it with a double fault for 30-all. Now Djokovic hits a forehand volley winner, but follows it with another double fault! Deuce! Medvedev then rips a forehand that Djokovic can’t return to win an 18-shot rally for a set point! Djokovic saves it with a backhand volley winner, then gets the better of Medvedev over another titanic 23-shot baseline exchange for game point. Another deuce point. Then another. And then Djokovic finally pounds a 121mph unreturnable to hold after 14 points and more than 10 minutes. We’re headed to a tiebreaker!
Second set: *Medvedev 3-6, 5-6 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic pounds a forehand winner from the baseline for 30-all on Medvedev’s serve. The Russian hits a forehand winner for 40-30, then has an overhead at the end of a 26-shot rally for game point ... but he hits it right in Djokovic’s strike zone and the he’s able to hit a forehand passing shot winner for deuce! It brings the crowd to their feet! Medvedev is able to hold from there, but what tension!
Second set: *Medvedev 3-6, 5-5 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic goes behind love-15 after getting run from corner to corner on an 18-shot rally. But he follows with an overhand smash followed by a backhand passing winner set up by a weak Medvedev volley that should have won the point. Djokovic then dials up a second-serve serve-and-volley, winning the point for 40-15 behind an 87mph offering. He makes a backhand unforced error on the next point for 40-30, but follows with a 121mph service winner down the winner to close out the hold.
Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 5-4 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev holds at love. He won the first two points after Djokovic made unforced errors at the end of 15-shot rallies … and it seemed the Serbian star only gave away the game from there. Djokovic will serve to stay in the second set after the change of ends.
Second set: *Medvedev 3-6, 4-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic, serving at 40-15, makes a double fault. Then he visibly wilts at the tail end of a 28-shot rally that Medvedev takes with a forehand volley winner for deuce. Djokovic is on wobbly legs and looks as tired as we can remember seeing him. Medvedev fails to capitalize on an 88mph second serve, biffing the return badly. But Djokovic double-faults again on the next point for deuce. Another marathon game breaks out. Djokovic fends off his first break point of the match with a brilliant forehand volley winner, then somehow scratches out three straight points at the net to hold. Another game spanning 14 points over more than 10 minutes.
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Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 4-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev holds but it isn’t easy. For either player. The Russian fought off a set point during a marathon game full of physical rallies that spanned 14 points and nearly 10 minutes. The point that we might look back on came on the third deuce: a grueling 31-shot exchange won by Medvedev that left Djokovic supine on the cement for nearly 15 seconds, as gassed as we’ve ever seen him, trying to fill his lungs. Where is this going? On serve in the second.
Second set: *Medvedev 3-6, 3-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
More brilliant serving from Djokovic, who holds at love in about a minute and a half. Djokovic has won all 12 points on his serve in this second set and 33 of 43 overall.
Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 3-2 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev holds from love-30 down, closing out the hold with back-to-back aces of 108mph (out wide) and 121mph (down the middle). Still on serve in the second.
Second set: *Medvedev 3-6, 2-2 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic holds at love again, outlasting his Russian foe in a highlight-reel 27-shot rally along the way. Medvedev has won just 10 points on Djokovic’s serve in this match, three off the first and seven off the second.
Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 2-1 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Djokovic gets it to 30-all when Medvedev blinks first during a 16-shot exchange, then to deuce moments later. But Medvedev answers with back-to-back unreturnable first serves to blast his way out of trouble. These longer rallies of nine shots or more have played out on even terms so far with Medvedev and Djokovic each having won nine apiece.
Second set: *Medvedev 3-6, 1-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic holds at love for the first time all match, capping it with another serve-and-volley success. He’s 7 for 8 on points won at the net today (while Medvedev is a perfect 5 for 5).
Second set: Medvedev 3-6, 1-0 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Immediate pressure on Medvedev to open the second. He goes behind love-15 then 15-30 on his serve. But follows with a pair of overhand winners set up by powerful angled groundstrokes. Game point. But Medvedev then mixes in a double fault for deuce. His fourth double of the afternoon against two aces. The game extends to three deuce points before Medvedev finally holds without facing a break point. Tense stuff!
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Medvedev has left the court for a bathroom break. Djokovic has won 15 of 19 grand finals after winning the first sets including 10 of 11 on hard courts, the lone blip coming in a 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 defeat to Stan Wawrinka at the 2016 US Open.
Djokovic wins first set, 6-3!
First set: Medvedev 3-6 Djokovic
Djokovic sprints out to 40-15 and a third set point, the first on his racket. And this time he converts it after Medvedev sends a backhand sailing past the baseline. First set to the 23-time grand slam champion after 48 minutes!
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First set: Medvedev 3-5 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev falls behind love-30 after with his second double fault. He gets it to 30-all with a backhand winner, but follows with an unforced error on the backhand side for 30-40, creating a set point. Medvedev rattles off two quick points for game point but makes another double fault for a second deuce point. Another unforced error, Medvedev’s 11th, gives Djokovic another set point but Medvedev saves that one, too, with an overhand winner. Medvedev then escapes with the hold after hitting a forehand winner and a 125mph first serve down the middle that Djokovic can’t handle. Now Djokovic will try to serve out the set.
First set: *Medvedev 2-5 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic toils to another hard-fought hold, closing it with a forehand winner at the end of another taxing 25-shot baseline rally. He’s hit 11 winners against eight unforced errors. Medvedev will serve to stay in the first set after the change of ends.
First set: Medvedev 2-4 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev holds comfortably, crunching his first two aces of the match along the way. But can he make any progress on Djokovic’s serve before this opening set slips away?
First set: *Medvedev 1-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic goes behind love-15 on his serve, then 15-30 after Medvedev outlasts him over an exhausting 36-shot baseline rally. A tired Djokovic mixes it up with a serve-and-volley off an 84mph second serve and it pays off as he slots a forehand winner at the net for 30-all. Another forehand volley winner by Djokovic gets it to game point, but Medvedev responds with a backhand winner down the line early in the point for deuce. Djokovic wins another serve-and-volley point, then Medvedev nets a running forehand early in the point. Another hold for the second-seeded Serb.
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First set: Medvedev 1-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Medvedev wins four of five points to hold and get on the board. It looks straightforward enough on the stat sheet but these are grueling rallies. Nothing is coming easy.
First set: *Medvedev 0-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Medvedev hits a deft backhand winner at the net for love-15 to end a string of six straight points for Djokovic. He then follows with a forehand passing winner for love-30, already threatening to get the break right back. But Djokovic wins two quick points for 30-all, then gets the better of Medvedev over another 15-shot rally for game point. And he finishes it off with a 120mph ace down the middle to hold from love-30 down. Convincing.
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Djokovic breaks in second game of first set!
First set: Medvedev 0-2 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
A rocky start for Medvedev. He makes a backhand error on the opening point, then a double fault for love-30. Another extended baseline exchange follows and Djokovic finishes it with a crisp forehand winner on the 16th shot for love-40 and three break points. And he needs only one of them when Medvedev sends a forehand sailing past the baseline early the rally. He’s broken at love.
First set: *Medvedev 0-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
The first point is a 19-shot rally won by Djokovic. Medvedev wins a much shorter second point when Djokovic misfires on a backhand. The third is another punishing 23-shot exchange won by Djokovic on a backhand winner. Scintillating stuff from the word go! The crowd is really buzzing. Djokovic makes another backhand error for 30-all and he’s got a hint of pressure on his serve. But he wraps up the hold in style, crunching back-to-back aces of 124mph and 123mph down the middle. What a start!
Prelude
Hello and welcome to Arthur Ashe Stadium for today’s blockbuster men’s final between Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic. For the second time in three years these heavyweights of the men’s tour are meeting for the US Open title. In 2021, Medvedev defeated Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to prevent the Serbian star from winning the calendar grand glam. Today the third-seeded Medvedev will attempt to capture his second major title, while the second-seeded Djokovic will aim to earn his fourth US Open crown in his 10th final and increase his overall grand slam haul to 24. This is the first US Open final between two former champs since 2018 when Djokovic beat Juan Martin del Potro.
The players are on court and we should be under way any minute now.
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Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s Andrew Lawrence’s look back at Coco Gauff’s big win yesterday.
