It wasn’t yesterday’s rollercoaster comeback—and the straight-sets score might make it look like it was easy, which it certainly wasn’t—but it seemed like nothing was about to get between Novak Djokovic and the US Open title in New York. With both Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev battling fatigue and exhaustion amidst epic, closely fought rallies (including an 104-minute second set in which, at one point, Medvedev served for the set at 6-5), it was Djokovic who came out on top, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3.
Upon winning match point—becoming, at 36, the oldest player to ever win the US Open (“What are you still doing here?” Medvedev asked Djokovic during the trophy ceremony)—Djokovic walked almost businesslike to the net, shook Medvedev’s and the umpire’s hand, and then reemerged onto the court, sank to his knees, and appeared to sob before rising, hugging his daughter, and climbing the stands to his player’s box, where he was backslapped by Matthew McConaughey before embracing his wife, coach, family, and team.
Before the trophy ceremony, Djokovic also slipped on a colorful “Maba Forever” T-shirt in tribute to his late friend Kobe Bryant, with the number 24 on the back, before slipping on a new Lacoste warmup jacket with 24 on the chest. (With this win, Djokovic ties the all-time Grand Slam record of Margaret Court, who racked up 24 Slams between 1960 and 1973. Serena Williams has 23, Rafael Nadal 22, and Roger Federer 20.)
The two battled in front of an overflow crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium that also included Leonardo Dicaprio, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, Justin Timberlake, and Lil Wayne.
The Medvedev that outwitted and out-played number-one seed Carlos Alcaraz two days ago was rarely on display at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center today, with Djokovic both dictating play and executing shots with pinpoint precision. That said, when Djokovic is firing on all cylinders, as he mostly was today, there’s little that anyone in the world can do to stop him.
“I feel like I have a not bad career, and I have 20 titles and you have 24 Grand Slams,” Medvedev said to Djokovic after the match. “Wow.” (Medvedev has also played in the US Open final in three of the last five years, winning the title in 2021 by beating… Novak Djokovic.)
“I’m living my childhood dream,” Djokovic said during the trophy presentation ceremony. “When I was seven, I wanted to become the best player in the world. I never imagined I would be here today talking about 24 slams—but in the last couple of years I felt I have a chance, I have a shot at history—and why not grab it?”
