US Open: Cramping Medvedev was close to breakdown before seeing off Djokovic, references FIFA celebration

By Sports Desk September 12, 2021

Daniil Medvedev was relieved to close out his first grand slam title at the US Open after revealing he was cramping in his quest to conquer Novak Djokovic.

Medvedev blitzed world number one and 20-time major champion Djokovic 6-4 6-4 6-4 in the men's final at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.

Djokovic's bid to become just the third man and first since Rod Laver in 1969 to claim a calendar Grand Slam, and to surpass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most major men's titles, was emphatically ended by Medvedev.

Medvedev fired down 16 aces and hit 38 winners in a ruthless display on Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, the second seed conceded he was worried at the end of the third set as he tried to see off Djokovic.

Russian star Medvedev double-faulted twice in succession when his first championship point arrived and gave back one of those breaks to Djokovic, who closed to 5-4. But the former came out to serve again and again served a double on a championship point, though he had another in store and the Serb netted on the backhand.

"I definitely had it [pressure]," Medvedev – who lost to Djokovic in the 2021 Australian Open final, having gone down to Nadal in the 2019 US Open showpiece – told reporters. "I started cramping at 5-3, I think because of the pressure at 5-2 where I had match points, I didn't make it. My legs were gone after 5-3. At 5-4, left leg, I almost couldn't walk. If you really look the replay, when I walked to the towel, my leg was just going behind. I was trying not to show it. If Novak feels it, it's not good.

"Again, 40-15, that's two match points. I was like, C'mon, go for an ace, just try to make it. I had a huge double-fault. Second one was like in the middle of the net. Okay, I have one more. Just try to make a first serve. I made it and I'm really happy."

Medvedev became the first Russian man to win a grand slam since Marat Safin at the 2005 Australian Open.

The 25-year-old also became the ninth different men's champion of the last 14 years in New York, including first-time major winners Dominic Thiem, Marin Cilic, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro. During the same time, the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon have each been claimed by four different men.

Medvedev – the second player since Ivan Lendl in 1987 to lose just one set en route to the men's US Open crown after Nadal in 2010 – is the fifth player to clinch a slam final against Djokovic.

He is also the fourth player with four or more wins over Djokovic as world number one, after Nadal (nine), Federer (five) and Murray (five).

"It definitely makes it sweeter [beating a world number one for first major trophy]," Medvedev said. "I mean, a grand slam is a grand slam. I would win it against Botic [Van de Zandschulp] in the final, probably I would be same happy.

"For the confidence and for my future career, knowing that I beat somebody who was 27-0 in a year in grand slams, I lost to him in Australia, he was going for huge history, and knowing that I managed to stop him it definitely makes it sweeter and brings me confidence for what is to come on hard courts so far, but let's see about other surfaces."

Medvedev was also asked about his celebration – the 13-time ATP Tour champion fell to the court after vanquishing Djokovic, with his eyes closed and tongue out.

It was in reference to FIFA's video game and the "dead fish" celebration.

"I like to play FIFA," he said. "I like to play PlayStation. It's called the dead fish celebration. If you know your opponent when you play FIFA, many times you're going to do this. You're going to score a goal, you're up 5-0, you do this one.

"I talked to the guys in the locker, they're young guys, super chill guys. They play FIFA. They were like, That's legendary. Everybody who I saw who plays FIFA thinks that's legendary. That's how I wanted to make it.

"Again, it's not because I want to be on the newspaper talking about FIFA celebration or whatever. I don't care. But I wanted to make it special for people to love, for my friends to love who I play FIFA with. I knew I'm going to make it. I got hurt a little bit. It's not easy to make it on hard courts. I got hurt a little bit, but I'm happy I made it legendary for myself."

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    Iga Swiatek gained new-found belief in her own strength after coming through an intense struggle to beat Karolina Muchova and complete her French Open hat-trick.

    The 22-year-old Pole cemented her status as the best female player in the world, particularly on clay, with her third title in four years at Roland Garros.

    But this was by some distance the hardest of her grand slam finals, with unseeded Czech Muchova battling back from a set and 3-0 down to force a decider.

    Muchova twice led by a break in that but Swiatek refused to be beaten, eventually prevailing 6-2 5-7 6-4 after two hours and 46 minutes and crouching down on the clay in tears.

    “I’m feeling all these different emotions right now,” said Swiatek. “It’s pretty surreal, everything. But the match was really intense, a lot of ups and downs. Stressful moments and coming back. So I’m pretty happy that at the end I could be solid in those few last games and finish it.

    “But Karolina really played well. It was a big challenge. I’m happy and really proud of myself that I did it.

    “This one, for sure, it was a little bit tougher in terms of injuries and the pressure, and also coming back to this tournament as a defending champion.

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    Swiatek is the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to successfully defend her title on the Paris clay and joins Naomi Osaka on four grand slam titles – veteran Venus Williams with seven is the only active player to hold more.

    Swiatek equals Osaka and Monica Seles, meanwhile, as the only women in the open era to win each of their first four slam finals.

    Muchova, a 26-year-old ranked 43, produced the performance of her life to beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, saving a match point and fighting back from 5-2 down in the deciding set.

    She made a slow start and it looked set to be another comfortable ride in a slam final for Swiatek but from 3-0 in the second set the momentum shifted.

    Muchova began to impose her clever game a lot more on the match while Swiatek tightened up, double-faulting to hand her opponent the chance to serve for the set at 5-4.

    Muchova could not take her first opportunity but another shaky game from Swiatek gave her a second chance and this time she made it over the line, clinching her third set point after a stunning all-court rally.

    Muchova has struggled badly with injuries during her career and it was only last year that doctors told her she might have to give up the game.

    She rode her momentum at the start of the decider by moving into a 2-0 lead as Swiatek threatened to implode but the 22-year-old pulled herself together quickly to level.

    They exchanged breaks again in the seventh and eighth games and Swiatek regained the ascendancy when she fought off another break point to hold for 5-4.

    The pressure of serving to stay in the contest proved too much for Muchova, who made three errors before double-faulting on match point in a cruel end to an absorbing final.

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    Muchova was overcome with emotion at the trophy ceremony while Swiatek had to have two goes at lifting the trophy after dropping the lid on the first attempt.

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    Muchova was left with mixed emotions, saying: “The feeling is a little bitter, because I felt it was very close, a close match.

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    There was British success for Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid in the men’s wheelchair doubles and Andy Lapthorne in the quad wheelchair doubles.

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    Seventeen-year-old Tokito Oda defeated Hewett 6-1 6-4 to win the men’s wheelchair singles title.

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    The junior titles were decided on Saturday, with 15-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva making it back-to-back grand slam successes, while Croatian Dino Prizmic ended his junior career with his first slam trophy.

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    The 36-year-old will aim to become the first man ever to win 23 grand slam singles titles, while he would also be the first man to win all the majors at least three times.

    Standing in his way is Norwegian Casper Ruud, who is going for a first slam crown in his third final.

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    The Londoner teamed up with South African Donald Ramphadi to beat Heath Davidson and Robert Shaw 1-6 6-2 (10-3) in the quad wheelchair doubles final.

    Lapthorne had tickets for the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday, and said: “I was absolutely fuming with the tournament referee here. He’s not going to hear the end of that for a long time, because he didn’t let me know that we wouldn’t be playing on the day of the game.

     

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    “If I would have known that, I would have been on a plane to Prague. But we won. That’s all that matters, and I was absolutely buzzing. I go to most games, home and away, and been going with my dad and my brother for donkey’s years and we’ve never won anything.

     

    “To see my dad and my brother get to experience that on Wednesday was very special, very emotional. I can’t wait to get home to celebrate that. Was inspiring and just so pleased for everyone involved.

    “We’re back in Europe again next year so I’ll be going and following the team all over the place again and complaining about disabled access in places like Serbia and stuff again.”

    Lapthorne and Ramphadi toppled the first and second seeds to win the title, giving the British player his 16th slam title overall and the South African his first on his 30th birthday.

    “It’s been a tough few weeks in my personal life,” said 32-year-old Lapthorne. “I don’t need to go into it, but it’s been very difficult. This game sometimes has a way of reminding you why you love it.”

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    An emotional Oda, 17, produced a brilliant display on Philippe Chatrier to win 6-1 6-4, ending Hewett’s hopes of winning three slam singles titles in a row.

    Hewett and Reid have dominated the doubles category in recent years and won their 17th title together and 12th in the last 14 tournaments by beating Martin De La Puente and Gustavo Fernandez 7-6 (9) 7-5.

    Hewett said: “I’m happy to finish the day on a good note. It’s never easy to come off the back of a grand slam final loss and within a couple of hours go again. I struggled a little bit with my emotions. In the end it was OK but I’m exhausted now.”

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