Djokovic-Medvedev US Open final could be spellbinding affair

NEW YORK : Novak Djokovic against Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open men's final may not have been the showdown fans were dreaming of but it could still bring the Grand Slam season to a spellbinding conclusion on Sunday.

For weeks the tennis world was buzzing about seeing the red hot rivalry between Djokovic and holder Carlos Alcaraz in the Flushing Meadows final until Medvedev played the spoiler with a brilliant 7-6(3) 6-1 3-6 6-3 semi-final win over the Spaniard.

But what a final between former U.S. Open champion Medvedev and three-time winner Djokovic may lack in pizzazz it more than makes up for in pure quality with the world's two best hard court players going toe-to-toe at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The contest also comes with some spicy sub plots as Djokovic hunts a fourth U.S. Open that would see him equal Margaret Court's record haul of 24 Grand Slams and, along with it, a good measure of revenge against Medvedev.

On Sunday the Serb will look across the net at the same man standing between him and history as he did two years ago.

The last time Djokovic and Medvedev clashed at the U.S. Open was in the 2021 final, when the Russian captured his only major so far and denied the Serb a rare calendar Grand Slam.

It is a loss Djokovic has not forgotten and has learned from.

"Every time in a Grand Slam final it's another shot for history and I'm aware of it," said Djokovic, who will reclaim top spot in the world rankings on Monday.

"I don't have much time nor do I allow myself to reflect on these things or think about the history too much.

"When I did that in the past, like, '21 finals (against Medvedev) here I was maybe overwhelmed with the occasion and the opportunity and I underperformed.

"I don't want this to happen again."

EARLI