Written by Staff Writer
The US Open is decided by a single match point and this year’s match is a dramatic, fantastic ending.
Novak Djokovic, who was playing his final tournament before a 12-month injury layoff, was outplayed in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Russian Daniil Medvedev.
The match went the distance on a windy Arthur Ashe Stadium court and the 30-year-old’s giant frame couldn’t handle the force of the younger player.
“For me this year was an incredibly long and incredible journey to get to this final,” said Medvedev. “It’s special not just as a Russian and I get to play against Novak today but I can see his personality. I saw him in the locker room and it made me really happy to know that this is the way to be. He was supporting me throughout.”
After suffering an ankle injury and losing his first match of the year in Toronto to Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, Djokovic had a second operation on his right elbow in February and missed the rest of the season.
However, since returning to action in June he’s looked like a champion once again, having beat Rafael Nadal in Cincinnati before winning the Paris Masters last week to become the first man since Pete Sampras in 1999 to win all four Masters events.
Medvedev, 22, however, stepped up his game and was too powerful for the Serbian, who made 48 unforced errors and made just 22 winners.