New York officially loves Novak Djokovic. There were no whistles, provocations, cheering not for his opponent, but against the Serbian tennis player. The American audience was with Nolet this time. He won it two years ago when he lost in the final to Medvedev and opened his heart. His image of an indomitable robot disappeared as if carried away by hand, as he himself said at the time: he did lose the match, but he won a lot more.
And Nole returned the love to the viewers, not only by reciprocating the emotions, but also by doing what statistics-obsessed Americans love more than any other nation in the world – breaking records. He won the 24th Grand Slam title and equaled the previous record holder Margaret Court, became the oldest player to win the New York tournament...
US Open TennisPhoto: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
Whoever stayed awake did not repent. Atomic tennis was played. The Serb and the Russian played an incredible number of spectacular points. The final result gives the impression that it was another routine victory for the best tennis player of all time. It was the opposite of that.
The match was such that actor Matthew McConaughey was jumping with excitement in the box of Djokovic's team. Often the director of the broadcast went to him.
Twenty-seven-year-old Danil Medvedev did everything he could against the thirty-six-year-old Serb. And he can do a lot. And he didn't succeed. Djokovic was visibly tired in the second set, trying to shorten the points. But, like so many times before, he managed to overcome the crisis and in the end he seemed fresher than the Russian who was almost 10 years younger.
US Open TennisPhoto: AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
This is not just about Djokovic's victory. His body seems to be a biological phenomenon. Eurosport's commentary team led by Mac Viander from match to match cannot be surprised at his fitness and the way he moves around the field. It's like he's 26, not 36.
Novak Djokovic is nowhere near the end of his career. Things stand so that next year he will be the main favorite to win all four Grand Slam tournaments.
And he breaks records every time he steps on the field.
Emotions boiled over when, after the victory, Nole wore a T-shirt with the number 24, the inscription "Mamba" and a photo of the tragically injured Kobe Bryant. Kobe wore jersey number 24 in the Lakers. They were great friends, Djokovic repeated. At the moment of his great triumph, he paid tribute to him. And reminded of how transient everything is, in the spirit of the Latin proverb "memento mori" (remember death). Slaves whispered it to Roman emperors in moments of greatest triumph.
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