Novak Djokovic wins 2023 US Open tennis title for 24th Grand Slam
Published:Sunday | September 10, 2023 | 7:04 PM
(AP) — Novak Djokovic emerged from an exhilarating and exhausting US Open tennis final with a 24th Grand Slam singles title on Sunday night in New York.
The Serbian used every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that was more closely contested than the straight-set score indicated.
Djokovic, 36, moved one major singles title in front of Serena Williams to become the first player to win 24 in the Open era, which began in 1968. Margaret Court also collected a total of 24, but 13 of those came before professionals were admitted to the Slam events.
There were moments, particularly in the 1-hour, 44-minute second set that was as much about tenacity as talent, when Djokovic appeared to be faltering. After some of the most gruelling points — and there were many — he would lean over with hands on knees or use his racket for support or pause to stretch his legs.
This triumph against Medvedev, the opponent who beat him in the 2021 final at Flushing Meadows to stop a bid for the first men's calendar-year Grand Slam in more than a half-century, made Djokovic the oldest male champion at the US Open in the Open era.
“First of all, Novak, I want to ask: What are you still doing here?” Medvedev joked during the trophy presentation.
Djokovic's fourth championship in New York, where he was unable to compete a year ago because he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19, goes alongside his 10 trophies from the Australian Open, seven from Wimbledon and three from the French Open, extending his lead on the men's Slam list.
Rafael Nadal, who has been sidelined since January with a hip problem that required surgery, is next with 22; Roger Federer, who announced his retirement a year ago, finished with 20.
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