Novak Djokovic lost the US Open final against Daniil Medvedev. The greatest achievement in tennis for many decades, the “Grand Slam”, was denied him, as was the envisaged 21st major title. But in the hour of his perhaps greatest defeat, the Serb was also able to celebrate one of his greatest victories. A comment.
It was the one moment when you would have expected the typical, infamous Novak Djokovic on this evening in New York City, highly concentrated, with a penetrating look and a grim, determined expression. He had made a break in the third set against Medvedev, who was showing nerves for the first time, and then brought his service through to 4: 5. Suddenly the result of the match seemed a bit open again – and if someone can use the smallest of all chances, then it is the Serb.
Instead, in the midst of the frenetic cheers of over 23,000 fans in the world’s largest tennis stadium, Djokovic burst into tears and sobbed uncontrollably into his towel. With still wet eyes he went into the final service game of his opponent and also at the award ceremony he could only hold back the tears with difficulty.
From a sporting point of view, he was overwhelmed by the most unpleasant opponent he could have faced in this final: A tactically perfect Medvedev, anyway the best hard court player in recent years in terms of (tournament) victories and a kind of feared opponent of Djokovic, finally ripe for the big moment in its third major final.
Physically and mentally, the hunt after the Grand Slam, the unbelievable pressure so shortly before the finish was a size too big. “I had no legs,” Djokovic admitted after the match, and he was “relieved” that his run was finally over.
“It’s like in the film: you have to kill him 27 times and he still gets up again,” said Goran Ivanisevic after the Wimbledon title. Djokovic won 27 best-of-five matches in 2021. The US Open final was number 28.
Djokovic and the fans: Like Federer once in the Wimbledon final in 2019
Emotionally, however, he was overwhelmed by the audience in the Big Apple, peppered with Hollywood, music and sports greats, which had sided with him from the start. Of course, the New Yorkers wanted to witness a historic moment, but at the same time they sympathized with Djokovic, wanted to carry the one whose legs had simply become too heavy for another “Mount Everest”. Almost desperate, they celebrated every point Djokovic won in the third set, sometimes on the verge of unsportingness if Medvedev made mistakes.
One felt reminded of the Wimbledon final of 2019, when Roger Federer received this honor. But while Djokovic had to transpose the “Roger! Roger!” Calls in his head into “Novak! Novak” calls back then, this time it was actually “Nole! Nole!”
“I’m the happiest person in the world,” he said, moved on the court, and confirmed this at the subsequent press conference: “Those were emotions like a 21st Grand Slam victory. I’ll never forget that.”
Novak Djokovic: Not a robot, but a roller coaster
Djokovic critics have criticized two things for years: on the one hand, his robot-like game, on the other hand, his desperate, transparent hunt for the audience’s love. The former has long since become a myth that I honestly don’t know how it was able to establish, let alone hold for so long. Aesthetically, fans may have different preferences, but if there’s one thing Djokovic’s matches aren’t, it’s boring.
Nobody can win in so many different ways, nobody changes his game so often – against Medvedev he suddenly played serve and volleyball almost regularly – hardly anyone shows his emotions and changes of heart as openly as he does. Crossing borders included. The best Djokovic matches are more like a “roller coaster ride” with the spectators in the front row.
The thesis of Djokovic begging for affection has also developed a strong life of its own in recent years. At pretty much every match, commentators took it out of the moth box, whether the audience was clearly on the side of their opponent or not, and picked it up: Why don’t they love him as much as Rafa and Roger? Because he was the party crasher? Because of its roots in Eastern Europe? And and and.
It always went a little too far for me personally, I have to admit that. Not only because the discussion often fails to recognize how big the “NoleFam” really is in many parts of the world. But also because this supposed pursuit of the Serbian for public affection never led to his being unfaithful to himself.