“I need to do it again,” Daniil Medvedev eyes to repeat his 2021 heroics as he books a date with Novak Djokovic in the 2023 US Open final
Medvedev talks on what will it take to beat Djokovic.
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(L) Daniil Medvedev ; (R) Novak Djokovic (Image via @TheTennisLetter/X and Imago)
Daniil Medvedev defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final to fix his feet at the final of the US Open, where he will be facing Novak Djokovic once again. The Russian ace spoke about the fact that he needed to play his absolute best tennis if he wanted to defeat the Serb once again.
Medvedev was an absolute beast when he played the final match against Djokovic at the US Open 2021 final. Medvedev defeated the veteran player in straight sets, a feat only a few have managed to accomplish. The US Open 2021 final saw an electrifying match between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. The tennis world will be treated to another such match this year as well.
When the Serb was playing in his absolute best form, Daniil Medvedev had managed to put an end to his streak. Djokovic had won all three Grand Slam titles in 2021, when entering the US Open. However, he saw a foe in the Russian, whom he was unable to defeat. When asked if Medvedev could accomplish this feat once again post his game against Alcaraz, he said, “The challenge is that you play a guy who won 23 Slams. I have only one.”
Medvedev also spoke about how he was playing better than himself in the final match two years ago. “When I beat him here, I managed to play better than myself. I need to do it again. There’s no other way,” he said, referring to his phenomenal game. He said the only way to beat the Serbian Great would be to channel that energy once again and play his best game yet. The Russian also acknowledged that this was the only way he would come out victorious from this battle.
The Russian was again asked about on how exactly will he use the 2021 US Open final against the Serbian tennis giant, in the presser. He replied, “When Novak loses, he’s never the same after. So he’s different. It’s just a different mentality. That’s why he has 23 Slams. So I have to use it, knowing he’ll be 10 times better than he was that day. If I want to beat him, I have to be 10 times better than I was that day. That’s what I’ll try to do.” Medvedev is aware of the herculean task that he has ahead of him on the coming Sunday.
Medvedev prepares for the ultimate challenge as Novak Djokovic opens up about importance of mental health
The 36-year-old has revealed that his state of mind is as important as his physical fitness. He added that at his age; it was equally important to be physically fit in order to play at the level he is. “Mentally there is probably a lot more that I’m dealing with in my private life than was the case 10 years ago. But that’s the beauty of life. Things are evolving, moving on,” he said recently.
His mental strength would prove to be vital in the upcoming final match against Daniil Medvedev. The players have faced each other twice this year, with each player winning once. The match will be as much a battle in the mind, as it would be a battle of the body.
Djokovic had an interesting semifinal game against American young sensation Ben Shelton, grabbing the victory in straight sets. However, more than the result, the phone call celebration has been the talk of the tennis world. Showing the funny side of his, the Serb said, “I just loved Ben’s celebration. I just thought it was very original. And I copied him,” as the reason for his actions against the young player.
In case you missed:
- Novak Djokovic equals Roger Federer’s record after making his 10th US Open and 36th Grand Slam final
- Coco Gauff discloses she wasn’t expecting to do well at the US Open after her ‘disastrous’ Wimbledon campaign
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Ramya Rangarajan
(267 Articles Published)