Novak Djokovic was after tennis history. Then he collided with the sport's future. [View all]
Tennis Perspective
Novak Djokovic was after tennis history. Then he collided with the sports future.
By Sally Jenkins
Columnist
Yesterday at 9:35 p.m. EDT
NEW YORK Daniil Medvedev doesnt have an immediately identifiable strength, the big stroke that forces a shout. Nevertheless, the strength is there, in a lean-boned, peculiar and bristling player who
took down Novak Djokovic with such dispatch in the final of the U.S. Open that it snatched the air from the throats of a crowd roaring to see history made.
Relieved defenders of the record books will focus on Djokovics failure to make history by completing the first mens Grand Slam in 52 years and the fact that his two greatest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal,
were absent with injuries. But that denies Medvedev full credit for turning the mens final Sunday night into such a stunning non-drama, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, and sending the game of tennis into a whole new day. Hes Ichabod-skinny at 6-foot-6, with the curled shoulders and mind of a chess player, but Medvedev has wedged his way in among the top players with a shocking insistence, and the next No. 1 may just be here.
Before this tournament ever began, Medvedev was asked about the prospect of stopping Djokovic from winning a Grand Slam and thus breaking his dead heat with Federer and Nadal at 20 majors each.
Yeah, well, since Im here, I want to say Im going to try my best to keep it at 20 for all of them, Medvedev replied. He added, I dont care if its in the final against a qualifier or against Novak. I just want to win this tournament.
[Daniil Medvedev ends Novak Djokovics quest for a Grand Slam with win in U.S. Open mens final]
{snip}
By Sally Jenkins
Sally Jenkins is a sports columnist for The Washington Post. She began her second stint at The Washington Post in 2000 after spending the previous decade working as a book author and as a magazine writer.