“He Handled Me Like…”: Daniil Medvedev Salutes ‘Nice’ Novak Djokovic

Daniil Medvedev lavished reward on Novak Djokovic after the Serbian star defeated the Russian on the US Open on Sunday for a record-equalling twenty fourth Grand Slam crown. Medvedev, who joined the unique membership of gamers to have overwhelmed Djokovic in a Grand Slam closing along with his victory on the US Open in 2021, was unable to repeat the feat on Sunday. Talking after Djokovic accomplished a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory to seize his fourth US Open crown, Medvedev revealed how the Serbian nice had handled him earlier in his profession.

“Once we first performed I used to be most likely five hundredth on the earth. And he was tremendous sort to me,” Medvedev mentioned.

“Nothing particular, however he handled me like a traditional particular person. And he nonetheless does. Nothing modified: 24, 30, 12 Grand Slams? Nothing adjustments.

“And I believe that is one thing nice about an individual you may say.”

Medvedev mentioned that beating Djokovic on the US Open closing was the best achievement of his profession to this point.

“From one aspect I can say, and actually I discover this wonderful, that I beat Novak in a Grand Slam closing, which most likely at this second is the head of my profession,” he mentioned.

“On the similar time, possibly if he and Rafa (Nadal) did not exist … I performed 5 finals in opposition to them and I solely managed to win one. I do not know if it is good or dangerous. However you already know, [Djokovic] pushes me to be higher.”

Medvedev in the meantime was left ruing his incapacity to stage Sunday’s closing at one set apiece after holding a set level in a gripping, 104-minute second set.

As an alternative, Djokovic saved the set level and compelled a tie-break which he would go on to win to take a stranglehold on the match.

“Ought to have gained it,” Medvedev mentioned of the second set. “Ought to have gained it, however typically tennis will not be that straightforward.

“Second set was the most effective set I performed and I did not win it. In order that’s why it is sort of regular that the match went that method.

“As a result of first and third he was sort of higher and never a lot to say. If I might gained the second, it possibly might have been a special recreation.

“If I wished to win the match, I needed to win that set.”

Medvedev had produced a scintillating show to upset defending champion Carlos Alcaraz within the semi-finals.

However he acknowledged that attempting to copy that high quality of efficiency 48 hours later had been a bridge too far.

“It isn’t straightforward to repeat, as a result of in opposition to Carlos I performed one in every of greatest matches of my life,” Medvedev mentioned.

“I imply, in opposition to Novak right here two years in the past it is sort of in the identical class. It isn’t that straightforward to repeat it day in, day trip.”

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