In 2021, Novak Djokovic was on the brink of completing one of the most difficult feats, not just in tennis, but in sports altogether.
Having emerged triumphant at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon that year, the Serb was one US Open crown away from becoming just the second man in the Open Era to complete the Calendar Grand Slam. To date, Rod Laver is the only man to have won all four major titles in a single season, with the Australian legend having done so in 1969.
Djokovic reached the final of the 2021 US Open, where he was met with an in-form second-seeded Daniil Medvedev.
Daniil Medvedev’s reaction after winning the 2021 US Open
Medvedev had dropped just one set en route to the final, and ultimately overcame Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to claim his maiden Grand Slam title. The Russian became the third man from his country to win a singles major title, following Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin.
Speaking in his post-match press conference that day, Medvedev admitted: “I do feel sorry for Novak because I cannot imagine what he feels. I don’t know this feeling. It definitely makes it sweeter. I mean, a Grand Slam is a Grand Slam.
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“I would win it against Botic 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.”
It was a completely different story when Djokovic and Medvedev met in the final of the Australian Open earlier that year, where the 24-time major champion came out on top in straight sets. The pressure got to Djokovic at Flushing Meadows, however.
Medvedev, meanwhile, was also feeling the pressure, but dealt with it better. “I definitely had it [pressure],” said Medvedev. “It’s a good thing I had less pressure than I had sometimes throughout my career. But it was still a lot.
Daniil Medvedev explained his celebration after winning the US Open
After securing match point against Djokovic to win the US Open, Medvedev jumped and fell to the floor, doing the ‘dead fish’ celebration. He explained: “I like to play FIFA. 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.”
Since winning the 2021 US Open, Medvedev has made three Grand Slam finals, but has not managed to get his hands on a second major crown.
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