5.29pm EDT
17:29
Second set: Djokovic 4-6 2-3 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Medvedev breaks serve!
Destroying a perfectly good racket got Djokovic a bit of crowd noise but doesn’t help him here. A double fault and two unforced errors bring up two break points. Djokovic saves the first, then races to the net on the second, but once again, the net approaches just aren’t working as they did against Zverev. Medvedev nearly places a shot near Djokovic’s feet, and the 20-time major champion can only slap it well wide.
Updated
at 5.29pm EDT
5.23pm EDT
17:23
(@laptoplederhose)
@duresport I’m pretty sure that that well-attired lady is Megan Rapinoe.
Unless she’s had a ton of cosmetic surgery, no.
5.22pm EDT
17:22
Second set: *Djokovic 4-6 2-2 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
Djokovic spends the changeover with a towel draped around his head. He gets this game to 15-15 on a point that is officially recorded as “backhand volley forced error” for Medvedev but should be called “unreturnable shot straight into Medvedev’s shoulder. Net approaches aren’t really working for either player today.
Medvedev gives one away, though, with another double fault. He outlasts Djokovic on a long-ish rally but sends an ambitious shot wide to bring up deuce. He hits wide to the other side, and Djokovic has another break point in this second set after hardly sniffing Medvedev’s serves in the first.
The crowd is getting a little overexcited. The umpire has to appeal for quiet during Medvedev’s serve.
Medvedev gives up another couple of chances and saves them in dramatic fashion. One is dropped neatly at the net, and Djokovic can’t quite return it. Another is ripped into a corner.
Medvedev finally gets game point, and that’s enough for Djokovic, who destroys his racket with several emphatic smashes.
The crowd gives him a standing ovation.
Then Medvedev wins the game.
Updated
at 5.30pm EDT
5.13pm EDT
17:13
Second set: Djokovic 4-6 2-1 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Not sure I’ve noted this yet, but the crowd is decidedly pro-Novak. Medvedev’s rally from 0-40 was that much more impressive, given the cheers that followed his errors.
Medvedev goes up 15-30 and then hits one he’d want back, a forehand just an inch or so wide. He now has 13 unforced errors, same as Djokovic.
After the next point, he has 17 winners to Djokovic’s 13, along with a break point.
But Djokovic, using every second of the serve clock, unleashes a wide serve that Medvedev returns somewhere into another borough of New York. Deuce. Then an ace gives Djokovic the advantage.
For the first time this match, the players start grunting. Well, grunting isn’t really the right word. What do you call it when they go “unh” and “unh”?
Djokovic drops the next point but somehow wins the next with a shot that is so close to the line that I’d really like to see a replay. He closes by forcing Medvedev into a short shot that he smashes. Medvedev returns that one, but the next is slammed so hard that it might hit Jeff Bezos’ spacecraft.
Updated
at 5.29pm EDT
5.03pm EDT
17:03
Second set: *Djokovic 4-6 1-1 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
Well, this just got interesting. An error, a double fault and another error give Djokovic as many points on Medvedev’s serve as he had in the entire first set. Medvedev responds with an ace. He then forces Djokovic to the net with a drop shot and converts the passing shot to make it 40-30. A longer rally goes Medvedev’s way, and Djokovic slams his hand and his racket into his thighs. Seems painful. Three break points saved, and it’s deuce.
An ace. Advantage Medvedev.
A service winner that Djokovic barely reaches, and the return sails long. Big save for Medvedev.
Updated
at 5.25pm EDT
5.00pm EDT
17:00
Second set: Djokovic 4-6 1-0 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Medvedev seems less susceptible than Zverev was to Djokovic’s net play. At 40-0, Djokovic finds himself scrambling back to deal with a Medvedev lob and is relieved to see it go just wide.
Gregory Phillips writes: “Djokovic must be the only player whose odds of winning actually shorten when he loses the first set.”
Come to think of it, did Rocky Balboa ever win the first round?
4.56pm EDT
16:56
As mentioned earlier …
(@usopen)
.@DylanAlcott chugging a beer out of his #USOpen trophy is an absolute MOOD ? pic.twitter.com/YCFJr4GTTj
4.55pm EDT
16:55
Medvedev wins the first set
First set: *Djokovic 4-6 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
As the camera finds an expensively attired woman on her mobile phone, Medvedev wins the first point, then uncorks his seventh ace. He follows with his first double fault. He wins the next and closes the set with his eighth ace.
So Djokovic once again drops the first set, and it was more convincing than the 6-4 score would indicate. Medvedev was 15-for-15 on first serves and 5-for-8 on second serves. Yes, Djokovic only won three receiving points.
Updated
at 5.05pm EDT
4.52pm EDT
16:52
First set: Djokovic 4-5 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Djokovic is alternating brilliant shots and puzzling errors. This one gets to 30-30. On the next, Medvedev makes an impossibly solid return on a wide serve to blunt handcuff Djokovic at the net. But Djokovic’s short-armed reply gets over the net, and Medvedev’s scrambling shot does not. Djokovic closes it out from there.
4.47pm EDT
16:47
First set: *Djokovic 3-5 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
For our Australian readers: Wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott is honored in Arthur Ashe Stadium and marks the occasion by a dumping a beer into his trophy and chugging. Will look for video.
Oh, and Medvedev holds at love with two more aces.
4.44pm EDT
16:44
First set: Djokovic 3-4 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
We interrupt this broadcast for some shocking news. Djokovic made an error on a volley at the net.
That’s the only point he loses in a routine hold.
4.41pm EDT
16:41
First set: *Djokovic 2-4 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
(@Mysteron_Voice)
@duresport Nothing to see here until the beginning of the fifth set. Then just report that Nole is going to win …
???
Sure, but the Zverev match had all its best points toward the middle of the match. The fifth set was a bit of a rout.
Anyway, Djokovic finally wins his second receiving point of match to make it 40-15. Then he impressively returns two Medvedev smashes before the third one is simply unplayable.
Updated
at 4.43pm EDT
4.36pm EDT
16:36
First set: Djokovic 2-3 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Djokovic also breezes through a service game to hold at love with two aces.
4.35pm EDT
16:35
First set: *Djokovic 1-3 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
Vibhanshu Bisht writes: “If Djokovic wins, he will also break another record – the biggest age difference between the men’s and women’s champions at a grand slam, held by Nadal/Swiatek at 14 years and 361 days. Djokovic is 15 years and 190 years senior to Raducanu.”
I’m ill-placed to confirm this right now.
What I can confirm is that Medvedev held his serve so quickly that our dual-McEnroe commentary team barely had a chance to say anything. Ace, ace, winner, winner.
4.32pm EDT
16:32
First set: Djokovic 1-2 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Djokovic again botches the first point. Then two straight serves clip off the net and go wide for a second double-fault of the match. Another fault follows, and Djokovic has to serve cautiously. Medvedev has an unforced error to make it 15-30, but Djokovic dunks one into the net for a double break point.
But the next serve is brilliantly place about as far wide as a ball can go and still be in play Medvedev does well to get to it, but he’s so far away (practically off-screen on the broadcast) that Djokovic has the whole court to hit the winner. Deuce.
Then an ace.
Then another ace.
Two break points saved, four straight points won with the aplomb of a 20-time major champion.
4.27pm EDT
16:27
First set: *Djokovic 0-2 Medvedev (* denotes next server)
An ace on a second serve sends a bit of a message. Then Medvedev immediately follows with a second ace to go up 40-0. Djokovic gets one back but sends another one long to give Medvedev a routine hold.
Updated
at 4.42pm EDT
4.24pm EDT
16:24
We’re underway
First set: Djokovic 0-1 Medvedev* (* denotes next server)
Medvedev breaks serve!
Nerves? Djokovic needs a second serve on the first point but quickly forces an error to go up 15-0. Then he double-faults.
But then he finds his footing on the baseline. Medvedev tries a drop shot against the man who rattled off what seemed like dozens of drop shots against Zverev, and Djokovic gets there in plenty of time to slam it and go up 40-15.
Djokovic errs on the next point. Then Medvedev uses an array of clever shots in the longest rally of the game so far, eventually forcing Djokovic to stretch for a shot that he airballs beyond the baseline. Deuce.
Then break point! Djokovic hits just a tiny bit wide. Spike Lee is in attendance and grins as he sees the replay and holds two fingers a millimeter or so apart.
On break point itself, no camera precision is necessary, Djokovic simply misses wide by a couple of feet, and Medvedev is up.
Updated
at 4.37pm EDT
4.17pm EDT
16:17
While we wait to get going, check out this great moment from the semi-finals.
(@SportsCenter)
A 53-SHOT RALLY ?
Simply amazing tennis by Djokovic and Zverev in the #USOpen semifinal. pic.twitter.com/NqvSAsYMV5
Like Zverev, Medvedev is 6-foot-6.
Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper are sitting next to each. Maria Sharapova is there.
OK, let’s play. Djokovic to serve.
4.10pm EDT
16:10
Djokovic speaks. He’ll be ready for a battle and will see how it goes.
Tennis players probably need to be focused, but just once, wouldn’t you love to see a pre-match interview in which someone talks about being inspired by Plato and Kermit the Frog or something?
We get a couple of crowd shots. Alec Baldwin is there and looks grumpy.
4.07pm EDT
16:07
Medvedev speaks. He’s 100% ready. He learned from his Australian Open loss that he has to be much better. Does that mean he was only 81% ready in Australia?
4.05pm EDT
16:05
We’ll be getting underway soon after this rendition of America the Beautiful ends. In other words, about an hour.
Superior song to the actual national anthem, but all such pregame singer showcases should really be limited to 90 seconds.
3.58pm EDT
15:58
A classic Open …
Hard to top the drama of the last two days in singles this year. We’ll have No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the men’s finals thanks to Djokovic subduing his nemesis Alexander Zverev.
Then we had the least predictable women’s final imaginable, with UK! UK! UK!’s Emma Raducanu coming from nowhere to win.
It’s important to note Raducanu has already done something Djokovic probably never will …
(@markaustintv)
Novak Djokovic may make history today winning the four Grand Slam events in one year …. But he will never ,ever win the US Open AND the Sundridge Park Tennis Club ‘Kent Player of the Year’in the same 12 months. Just won’t happen …@EmmaRaducanu will always have that on him .
3.53pm EDT
15:53
And from Twitter:
(@MackerOnTheMed)
@duresport Daniil will have 2 play out of his skin 2 beat Novak who we all know plays his best tennis when it counts, on the big points. Calendar Slam in 4!
Given Djokovic’s propensity for dropping the first set in this tournament, a four-set wins seems to be a rather sound choice.
3.41pm EDT
15:41
People must be excited. Mail is already coming in …
From Paulo Biriani: “In some ways Novak is a difficult figure to love in the way that Federer and Nadal seem to be by many but, my word, it is so easy to admire what he has achieved. He is a phenomenon. Absolutely incredible, really. That Andy Murray was able to beat him a few times makes my admiration for him take a notch up or two as well. I think we’ve been spoilt by the sheer majesty of these players for the last however many years. I hope he wins and that’s without any disrespect to his talented opponent. It would just seem, well, right.”
Any other thoughts? Is Djokovic underappreciated because he sometimes agitates fans?
For what’s it’s worth, count Medvedev among Djokovic’s fans.
Updated
at 3.42pm EDT
3.34pm EDT
15:34
Preamble
Thanks for joining us for the big showdown today as second-ranked Daniil Medvedev challenges top-ranked Novak Djokovic. After losing to Djokovic the first three times they played, Medvedev has won three of the last five meetings — 2019 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo, 2019 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, 2020 ATP Finals. Djokovic won in straight sets in the Australian Open earlier this year.
Little bit of a difference here. Medvedev has never won a major. Djokovic, as you might have heard, is aiming for the first calendar-year grand slam since 1969 and sole possession of the record for most majors in men’s singles — 21, which would break a tie with contemporaries Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both of whom haven’t retired but stalled.
3.15pm EDT
15:15
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Tumaini Carayol on Novak Djokovic’s quest for the calendar slam:
After a deeply satisfied Novak Djokovic had put his racket away following another job well done on Friday night, in the post-match interview of his five-set win over Alexander Zverev the interviewer started a question by listing all of the potential achievements on the line in his final match. As soon as Djokovic understood where the question was going, he cut the question off: “I’m going for a fourth US Open, that’s all I’m thinking about,” he said, smiling.
Further prompts about Djokovic’s grand slam attempt followed: “It’s there, it’s there,” said Djokovic. “I know that people would like to hear me talk about it, but there is not much to talk about. There’s only one match left. All in, all in. Let’s do it. I’m going to put my heart and my soul and my head into that one. I’m going to treat my next match like it is the last match of my career.”
This was not the first time this happened. Djokovic was also understandably not too interested in speaking about the subject in detail after his quarter-final and he later explained that being constantly prompted about the subject leads him to think too much about it, which can “burden” him mentally. He has already said plenty.
Few champions have mastered the knack of speaking openly about their goals and then going out and achieving them, and so this underlines how uniquely difficult the grand slam is to achieve. The sporting challenge of winning all 28 matches in a year is unfathomably difficult alone, but keeping your head throughout as people constantly remind you of the magnitude of the achievement at times seems unbearable.