Novak Djokovic wins his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open
Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final to take his Grand Slam tally to an unprecedented 24 titles!
It’s been 15 years since a young Serbian burst on to the scene and wrote his name in the headlines with a first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open in 2008. Novak Djokovic is 36 years old now but he will be the first to tell you that 36 has never felt younger after reaching his historic 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open.
What makes this victory particularly sweeter for Djokovic is the fact that it has been a complicated summer for him. Not only did he lose the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, he got outplayed and outlasted by a new, emerging young threat who promised to conquer all.
However, the greatness of Novak Djokovic lies in the magnitude of his comebacks. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he proves time and time again that no setback can permanently hold him back.
On Sunday evening, in the final of the US Open, he managed to accomplish just that.
Daniil Medvedev tried to exploit Djokovic’s fitness through the use of long rallies and exhaustive point battles. But much to his dismay, the Serb didn’t even swerve, let alone, let him in.
In the end, the Russian who is nine years younger couldn’t come between ‘Djoker’ and his 24th Grand Slam title, winning 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
By virtue of this victory, he extended his historic record at the top of men’s tennis history. No other man has won more than 22 Grand Slam titles.
Thanks to the fact that he has won his first round match at the tournament, Djokovic will also reclaim the World Number 1 ranking, displacing Alcaraz. This will also ensure that he extends his all-time record to 390 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings.
A four-time US Open winner, Djokovic has also set the enviable record of being the oldest US Open champion in the Open era. He is also the first male player to have won three grand slam titles in a season on four separate occasions.
The five-set Wimbledon final loss had been regarded as a watershed moment in modern tennis. Alcaraz was symbolic of the new era, taking the limelight away from the Big Three that dominated the sport for nearly two decades,
Ever since that defeat, Djokovic has won 12 consecutive matches. He finishes the grand slam year as the best player in the world by a considerable distance.
“I would definitely sign right away the paper if somebody would tell me I would win three out of four and play Wimbledon finals,” Djokovic said.
“There is a little regret that I didn’t win that Wimbledon finals. But, look, in the end of the day, I have so much more to be happier and content with than actually to regret something.”
It is also worth noting that Djokovic has excelled like fine wine. A significant portion of his Grand Slam victories have come to fruition following his 30th birthday. Moreover, he has also secured triumph in seven of the last 10 major tournaments that he has participated in, underscoring his dominance in the annals of the modern sport.
"I'm going to keep going. You know, I feel good in my own body. I still feel I got the support of my environment, of my team, of my family," said Djokovic.
"Grand Slams... have been always the highest goal and the priority of mine in the whole season. I don't play as much in terms of other tournaments, so I try to, you know, prioritise my preparation so that I can peak in Slams."
Given that he has already extended his record to 24 titles, there is always the added motivation to go further and see how many he can really get to. That desire keeps him pushing and the Serbian has clarified that he has no intention to end his career anytime soon, unless his physical condition deteriorates significantly.
"I don't put any number right now in my mind on how many Slams I want to win until the end of my career. I don't really have any number," said Djokovic.
"I'll continue to prioritise them as my most important tournaments and where I want to play the best tennis. So that will not change. That will stay the same in the next season or I don't know how many more seasons I have in my legs. So let's see."
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