James GordonNovak Djokovic has set up a final against Daniil Medvedev at the US Open. The Serbian is looking to become just the second man in history to win all four Grand Slams in a single year, and will attempt to make it five titles from five tournaments.
The us open final how many sets is a match that will have to be played over two days. Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev are both chasing records, but this time it’s the latter who has the advantage.
Novak Djokovic is attempting to become the first player to win a calendar Grand Slam since 1969.
| Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York Dates: August 30th through September 12th |
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Novak Djokovic beat Alexander Zverev in a grueling five-set match to set up a US Open final against Daniil Medvedev and keep his quest for a calendar Grand Slam on track.
With a 6-4 7-5 6-2 victory against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, Russian second seed Medvedev maintained his chances of a maiden major championship alive.
Djokovic then came back from a set down to win 4-6 6-2 6-4. 6-2 4-6
He now has a chance to become the 21st man to win a Grand Slam singles championship.
If Djokovic beats Medvedev on Sunday at Flushing Meadows, he would surpass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have each won 20 majors.
Djokovic would also become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors in the same year.
“There’s just one more match, so let’s go for it. I’m going to put my whole heart, soul, body, and mind into that one “According to Djokovic.
“I’m going to approach the next match as if it’s my last match.”
In New York, Djokovic defeats Zverev.
Djokovic faced fourth seed Zverev, a man who had only six weeks earlier destroyed his dreams of another piece of tennis history, the ‘Golden Slam,’ by defeating him at the Olympics.
When he double-faulted to give Zverev the opportunity to serve for the first set, the 34-year-old must have dreaded a recurrence. Despite double-faulting on his first set point, his opponent obliged.
Djokovic broke and then cantered through the set to tie the match early in the second. Zverev missed a simple forehand and followed up with a double fault as Djokovic broke and then cantered through the set to level the match.
Zverev was furious after failing to convert a break in the third game, and he again wasted a chance at 2-2, only to give Djokovic three set opportunities later.
He saved two, the second in a stunning 53-shot rally, but Djokovic blasted the third at the net to grab the lead and rouse the fans by raising his arms in the air.
At 1-1 in the fourth set, Zverev created another break point, this time slamming a forehand winner past his opponent as he held on to force a decider.
In the fifth set, it was Djokovic who broke through in Zverev’s first service game, and the Serb’s lasting quality shone through as he raced to a 5-0 lead.
To the joy of the New York fans, Zverev, who is 10 years Djokovic’s younger, got on the board and then fought back one break to keep the semi-final alive.
After three hours and 33 minutes of tennis, the three-time US Open winner came back to set up match point on Zverev’s serve and secured his spot in the final when his opponent found the net.
“Thank you,” Djokovic added, “the atmosphere was fantastic – the greatest atmosphere of the tournament so far.”
“These are the moments we live for, the once-in-a-lifetime chances we fantasize about every day when we get up and attempt to find the desire to accomplish the same things over and over again.”
Analysis
Tennis reporter Russell Fuller
Rod Laver, whose accomplishment Djokovic will attempt to equal on Sunday, was there at the Arthur Ashe Stadium for this enthralling encounter, which included a 53-shot rally.
Djokovic qualified for a record-tying 31st Grand Slam final with great serving and his usual mental toughness, despite not always being at his best from the baseline.
He then vowed to play the final on Sunday as if it were his last match.
So far, the world number one has been on the court for five and a half hours longer than Medvedev. The weather is expected to be hot and humid on Sunday, and with the strain of pursuing history, the 28th and last obstacle may be the most difficult to overcome.
Medvedev’s third time lucky?
Daniil Medvedev is in his third Grand Slam final, looking for his first major championship.
Medvedev will play in his third Grand Slam final on Sunday, after losing to Rafael Nadal in the 2019 final at Flushing Meadows and Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final in February.
During a mostly trouble-free journey to the final, the 25-year-old, who has won championships on hard courts in Marseille and Toronto this year, surrendered his lone set of the event in a four-set victory against Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp in the previous round.
Medvedev ominously broke Auger-Aliassime to love in the eighth game of the first set, picking the right time to exert pressure and put his 21-year-old opponent on the back foot.
The Russian struggled in the second set, as Auger-Aliassime, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semi-final, won a second break-point chance before holding service to take a 5-2 lead.
From then, the set – and a chance for the Canadian to tie the match – unraveled.
Auger-Aliassime was punished by Medvedev after failing to convert at set point twice. Medvedev broke back and rattled through four consecutive games to break his opponent’s momentum and grab a two-set lead.
The 12th seed’s challenge crumbled as the world number two grabbed another double break to glide to a 5-1 lead before sealing off another emphatic win on service after an opening hold of serve in the third set.
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