Playing in his third Grand Slam final, 25-year-old Medvedev became the third Russian man to win a major singles title and the ninth individual US Open men’s singles champion in the past 14 years.
Following his win, he thanked friends, family and fans for giving him energy throughout the week. He ended his speech by wishing his wife a happy anniversary.
“During the tournament I couldn’t think of gifts or anything, but if I lose I have to think about gifts,” Medvedev said.
The world number two also praised Djokovic for his achievements, who was in tears after the match.
“To me, you are the greatest tennis player in history,” said Medvedev.
In turn, Djokovic said that his opponent deserved to win the title: “I wish you many more Grand Slams, many more Majors, I am sure you will be at this level again in the future,” he added.
Djokovic was trying to win a record 21st Grand Slam title since Rod Laver in 1969 and complete the first men’s calendar Grand Slam – winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.
Sunday’s match means Djokovic is tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam titles.
However, Medvedev looked unlucky during this year’s competition, dropping just one set on the way to the final, where he was able to avenge his Melbourne defeat and meet Djokovic’s hopes of a year older.
After his semi-final win against Auger-Aliassim, Medvedev said he learned a lot from his final loss against Djokovic in Melbourne.
a moment of growth
For Medvedev, his 2019 US Open experience was a time of ups and downs.
During a match, he was fined for sporting conduct and one for visual obscenity. As a result, he became a real villain in the eyes of the New York crowd. However, due to his personality, charisma and excellent game, he won them back in the next round.
Ahead of this year’s US Open, she expected it to be a “love” relationship between her and fans. And since the 2019 experience, she has learned to be just herself.
“It was a new experience that made me believe in myself even more and made me better as a tennis player.”
In a promising outcrop of young, rising stars in men’s tennis, Medvedev could be at the fore.
After falling at the last hurdle in the first Grand Slam final, the ATP Tour Finals win in 2020 was a breakthrough moment for the Russian as he became the first player to beat world No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. His way of winning the tournament at the end of the season.
CNN’s Homero de la Fuente contributed to this report.
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