Novak Djokovic about to win his final battle after latest US Open triumph

Novak Djokovic cemented his legacy as the greatest male player of the modern era with an exhausting win in the US Open final against Daniil Medvedev, but there is one title that will continue to elude him.

A 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 win in a thrilling final against Medvedev, gave Djokovic his 24th Grand Slam title and his first in New York since 2018.

The match hinged on a marathon second set lasting 104 minutes, which was longer than both players’ entire first-round matches.

Djokovic won it after a tie-break to move 2-0 up and finally break Medvedev’s spirit, going on to gain a measure of revenge after the Russian denied him the calendar Grand Slam in the final here two years ago.

The win also moved him level with Margaret Court’s record of major titles, although really that is a statistical irrelevance given the obvious difference in the level and depth of competition between now and the 1960s.

Of more importance to Djokovic is his record against his peers; he is now two clear of Rafael Nadal’s 22 grand slam crowns and four ahead of Roger Federer, who declared on 20 last year.

Having already won in Australia and Paris, Djokovic has picked up three major titles in a year for the fourth time in his career. Only the five-set defeat by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final blemished his 2023 record.

Now he has surpassed Ken Rosewall, who was 35 when he won in 1970, and who did not have to contend with any sets lasting almost an hour and a quarter.

A Medvedev double-fault and a blistering backhand winner down the line gave Djokovic the early break point which he converted to love to subsequently take the first set in a relatively speedy 48 minutes.

But Medvedev, returning from about a quarter-of-a-mile behind the baseline, made Djokovic toil in the second set and it began to show with the favourite showing signs of fatigue.

After an hour and three quarters he produced his first break point of the match but Djokovic, with an obvious change of game plan in a bid to shorten the points, expertly snuffed it out with a big serve and an immaculate volley.

Medvedev had set point on the Djokovic serve but another volley at the net dealt with that, and when tie-break slipped away from the 27-year-old, the match soon followed.

It also took him to 24 Grand Slam titles, drawing him level with Margaret Court in the all-time list of Grand Slam winners.

If there was any debate over who should be hailed as the greatest player of all-time, Djokovic may just have ended it.

This was his third Grand Slam title of 2023 and it means he is almost certain to finish the year as world No 1 for a record-breaking eighth time.

He is the oldest US Open champion in almost a century and there is very little left for him to achieve in the game, with his longevity as a champion as impressive as his achievements on thee court.

Even at the age of 36, the rest of the tennis world is still coming up short against the great Serbian, yet Djokovic remains a divisive figure and that’s why his legacy will not be quite as golden as some who have gone before him.

Giants like Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and Djokovic’s great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will still have supporters who claim their men are the greatest of them all.

Yet Djokovic has now put a rubber stamp on his greatness and his 24th Grand Slam title may also earn him a respect that has been craving over the course of his career.

All too often, this great champion has won a major title after seeing off the hostility of the fans packed into the stadium, but this felt a little different.

Even though Djokovic came under fire for his unnecessary “phone down” swipe at American youngster Ben Shelton following his semi-final, the New York crowd appeared to appreciate they were in the presence of greatness as they watched an iconic champion win again.

He struggled at times during the final against Medvedev and at times during an epic second set, he looked close to exhaustion.

Yet Novak finds a way to win when the tide is turning against him and once again, his opponent couldn’t finish him off when he was rocking on the ropes.

This is why the fans in the New York crowd saluted Djokovic for what he is after this latest victory and appeared to put their reservations about his troubled past to one side.

“It was interesting the way the crowd responded to him,” said former British No 1 Annabel Croft.

“There was just that little bit more love and a bit more appreciation and understanding of him.

“I do hope that at some time he really gets it – I think it will take for Feeder and Nadal to be out of the way. I think he is slowly getting there.”

Maybe now the respect for the greatest player of them all will grow in the final chapters of his career.

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