New York, Sep 11: If Novak Djokovic does complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam for a man since 1969 – and he is headed to the U.S. Open final, just one victory away – he, and everyone else, will remember one particularly pivotal, and epic, game along the way.
It came at the conclusion of the third set of what eventually became a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Alexander Zverev in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows on Friday night, making Djokovic 27-0 in major championships this season.
The game featured one extended exchange after another, including a 53-shot, minute-plus point that was the longest of the tournament and actually was lost by Djokovic on a forehand winner by Zverev, who hunched over with his hands on his knees as most of Arthur Ashe Stadium’s 21,139 spectators rose in unison on a cool, crisp evening.
As usual, Djokovic used his superb returning and never-take-a-rest defense to wear down Zverev.
Djokovic lost the fourth set but immediately rebounded and was nearly untouchable while going ahead 5-0 in the fifth then held on.
Djokovic, who has spent more weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings than anyone, figures out what is required to emerge on top and does it.
In each of his past four matches – and 10 in all at the Slams this year – he trailed by a set and won.
Beating No. 2 Daniil Medvedev on Sunday will allow Djokovic to secure two significant milestones. He would add the 2021 U.S. Open trophy to those he won at the Australian Open in February, French Open in June and Wimbledon in July.
And the 34-year-old from Serbia would collect his 21st Slam title in all, breaking the men’s career mark he currently shares with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
He also equaled Federer on Friday by getting to a 31st career Slam final; Djokovic’s total now includes a record nine in New York, where he has won three championships.
It will be Slam final No. 3 for Medvedev, a 25-year-old from Russia, who eliminated 12th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in the afternoon.
Medvedev was defeated by Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open final and by Nadal in the 2019 U.S. Open final. “The more you lose something, the more you want to win it. The more you want to gain it and take it,” said Medvedev, who has lost only one set over the past two weeks.
Djokovic is trying to go 4 for 4 at the majors over the course of one season, something last done in men’s tennis by Rod Laver 52 years ago. It was also done by Laver in 1962 and Don Budge in 1938.
Three women have completed what’s known as a true Grand Slam, most recently Steffi Graf in 1988. Serena Williams’ attempt in 2015 ended at the U.S. Open with a semifinal loss to Roberta Vinci.
Zverev came into Friday on a 16-match winning streak, a run that includes beating Djokovic in the Summer Games semifinals on July 30.
That was in a best-of-three-sets format, though, which changes everything when it comes to Djokovic.
He is now 36-10 in matches that go five sets.
Things really came alive six games and 20 minutes in, thanks to a terrific 24-stroke point in which Djokovic tried a drop shot.
Zverev got to it, replied at a seemingly impossible angle and – after Djokovic sprinted wide of the doubles alley and stretched to retrieve that, sneakers squeaking all the way – came up with a winner.
The crowd went wild.
Zverev raised his right hand and wagged his fingers: “Louder!”
All rulings come via electronic line-calling and can’t be disputed. There are no line judges to doubt or to argue with.
Last year, there were, and Djokovic was disqualified from Flushing Meadows in the fourth round when a ball he hit after losing a game inadvertently struck a line judge in the throat.
At the following major tournament, the pandemic-delayed French Open, Djokovic lost in the final to Nadal. Since then, there have been deficits in Grand Slam matches for Djokovic, but no defeats. (AP)
