Daniil Medvedev shattered Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam dream with a straight sets victory in the US Open final on Sunday, denying the world number one a record-breaking 21st major men’s singles title. Medvedev, the 2019 US Open runner-up, captured his first Grand Slam title in his third Slam final, a rematch of February’s Australian Open final, won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, by the 34-year-old Serbian to launch his Slam quest.
Russia’s second-ranked Medvedev dominated Djokovic to prevent the first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1969 and keep Djokovic level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal atop the career Slam title list. Almost announcing a change of guard, the Russian broke in the first game of the contest and from there, he remained in control throughout. “Sorry for you fans and Novak because we all know what he was going for,” Medvedev said. Novak Djokovic heaped praises on young Daniil Medvedev after the latter got the better of him in their US Open 2021 final at the Flushing Meadows. Djokovic had won this year’s Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon respectively. Adding a win at the U.S. Open — the fourth and final major of the tennis season — would have given him the coveted calendar-year Grand Slam, a feat that has not been accomplished since Steffi Graf did it in 1988. The last man to win the calendar-year Grand Slam was Australian legend Rod Laver, who managed to do it twice in his storied career in 1962 and in 1969. The 20-time Grand Slam winner signed off by acknowledging the New York crowd for their love and support.
