You are the greatest player in tennis history: Medvedev to Djokovic

NEW YORK: On the last leg of Novak Djokovic's extraordinary chase the ink dried, there was but a mile to go.
On a riotous day at the Arthur Ashe stadium, Russian maverick Daniil Medvedev bettered the world No.1's telling exactitude to craft a resounding first Grand Slam victory that echoed across the tennis landscape.
Medvedev pulled off a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, botching the World No.1's calendar Grand Slam goal.

The 34-year-old was looking to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors in one season and also break a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael for the most major titles in the men's game which now stands at 20 apiece.
Medvedev's serve, which took the sting out of Djokovic's return on an evening high on emotions, helped him join fellow Russians Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin as major champions.

When Djokovic's return fell flat on the third match point Medvedev, who stopped celebrating wins following his run-ins with crowds in New York two years ago, dropped to his side and played dead, his eyes closed and his tongue was out. The 'dead fish', a celebration from a video game.
Medvedev struck on it during Wimbledon when he was struggling to sleep one night. "I'm going to win Wimbledon, imagine I win it against Novak," he started thinking. "To not celebrate is too boring, I need to do something, but I want to make it special. Everybody who plays FIFA thinks that's legendary."

Medvedev, who lost just one set en route to the US Open title, leads the ATP Tour on hard courts, since 2018 he has won 12 titles, made 17 finals and notched 147 match wins.
The 25-year-old looked set to take it to Djokovic in their previous meeting in the Australian Open final in February, but came up horribly short, which was why the start was central on Sunday. In the opening game, which had a couple of long rallies, and where a stray forehand saw the Serb surrender serve, Medvedev did enough to show he was in the house this time.

For much of his playing career, Djokovic, compared to the universal fan-favourite Roger Federer, got little love, but on the Arthur Ashe stadium on Sunday, they courted the World No.1 in a passionate ride. It might've had something to do with the Serb's trajectory in the Slams this year. A love stirred by respect for tennis' tireless competitor.
By the time Medvedev, of the flat play and the lazy counter, broke in the first game of the third set, the stands were going crazy, trying to pick each other up with their ear-splitting cheering. The second seed handled the situation superbly, playing almost exclusively to his box, where his wife of three years to the day, Daria, along with his coach Gilles Cervara and psychologist Francisca Dauzet were seated.

Medvedev, who sent down 16 aces, won 80 percent of the points when he landed his first serves, which was the same for Djokovic. Unlike the Serb, however, it was the second delivery that did it for the Russian, who scored a significant 58 percent.
Medvedev, who felt the pressure as he approached the finish line, wasn't helped by the near-24,000 capacity fans, who were boisterously backing Djokovic, seeking a second wind.
The Russian's delivery, which seemed faultless till then, was delivering double-faults like a malfunctioning device throwing up errors. He started cramping at 5-3 which was showing in his step, but he held to close it out on his third attempt.
Medvedev, who became the first from the next generation of players to beat one of the big three in a Grand Slam final, said Djokovic wasn't at his best.
"He had a bad day today, in Australia, I definitely didn't play my best. It's always about the small details," Medvedev said. "The question is, if he did play his best, could I cope with it? We can never know now. I'm just happy to win."
At the prize distribution ceremony Medvedev turned to Djokovic and gave him the ultimate compliment. From one competitor to another. "I've never said this to anybody until now," he said, "but for me, you are the greatest player in tennis history."