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Federer, Roddick Congratulate Gauff On US Open Title

  • Posted: Sep 10, 2023

Federer, Roddick Congratulate Gauff On US Open Title

Laver among other stars to send well wishes to Gauff

Roger Federer and Andy Roddick headlined the list of ATP stars who congratulated Coco Gauff on social media following her US Open victory.

Others who sent the American well wishes were her coach, Brad Gilbert, Rod Laver and longtime friend Christopher Eubanks.

“Inspirational win @CocoGauff 🎉,” Federer wrote. “Been watching your 🎾and following you for years. It’s great to see so much hard work and passion being rewarded. You shine brighter than ever. 🌟”

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Why A Fast Start Could Be Key For Medvedev’s US Open Title Chances

  • Posted: Sep 10, 2023

Why A Fast Start Could Be Key For Medvedev’s US Open Title Chances

World No. 3 has been ATP Tour’s best frontrunner in 2023

Once Daniil Medvedev has control, he rarely relinquishes it.

In 2023, the World No. 3 has lost just once in 48 tour-level matches in which he has won the first set. Adrian Mannarino’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 second-round victory in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in June makes the Frenchman the only owner of a comeback victory against Medvedev this season.

Medvedev’s masterclass in frontrunning is not a new trend, either. He is now 272-28 across his career after winning the opening set. Those statistics from Infosys ATP Stats suggest the 27-year-old will take a big step towards his second major title by starting fast against Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s US Open championship match.


Highest Win Percentage After Winning First Set, 2023

Player W-L Win %
Daniil Medvedev 47-1  97.9
Stefanos Tsitsipas 35-1  97.2
Lorenzo Musetti 23-1  95.8
Novak Djokovic 38-2  95

A look at Medvedev’s previous victories against Djokovic also suggests the opening set could be crucial. Four of his five Lexus ATP Head2Head victories against the Serbian came after he won the first set, with his only comeback victory coming in the pair’s Cincinnati semi-final in 2019.

However, there are also fewer opponents who are likely to be less bothered by such numbers than 23-time Grand Slam titlist Djokovic, renowned for his ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and especially when it comes to five-set battles at the majors.

The Serbian has been almost as capable a frontrunner as Medvedev this year (he is 38-2 in 2023 after winning the opening set), and the numbers also indicate Djokovic does not rely as heavily on a fast start as his championship-match opponent. Medvedev is 8-10 this season after dropping the opening set, while Djokovic by comparison is 6-3.

So the first box for Medvedev to tick when he steps out on Arthur Ashe Stadium? Start fast and take the opening set. The second? To put his foot down and don’t look back… Just like he did in his straight-sets victory against the Serbian in the 2021 final at Flushing Meadows.

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How Medvedev Can Ignite 3-Way Battle For Year-end No. 1 With US Open Win

  • Posted: Sep 09, 2023

How Medvedev Can Ignite 3-Way Battle For Year-end No. 1 With US Open Win

World No. 3 takes on Djokovic in US Open final on Sunday

Is Daniil Medvedev about to crash Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic’s party at the front of the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin?

Medvedev’s US Open semi-final triumph on Friday night against race leader Alcaraz has opened the door for the 27-year-old as he looks to haul in his two rivals. Should Medvedev defeat Djokovic in Sunday’s championship match to claim his second crown at Flushing Meadows, he would move to 7,390 points in the Live Race, within 785 points of Alcaraz in first and 755 of Djokovic in second.

Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin (entering US Open Final)

 Player  Points
 1) Carlos Alcaraz  8,175
 2) Novak Djokovic  8,145
 3) Daniil Medvedev  6,590
 4) Jannik Sinner  4,365
 5) Andrey Rublev  3,640
 6) Stefanos Tsitsipas  3,570
 7) Holger Rune   3,055
 8) Alexander Zverev  3,030
 9) Taylor Fritz  3,010
 10) Casper Ruud  2,625

That would raise the prospect of a three-way battle playing out across the final few months of the season to become ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone. It would also leave Medvedev full of confidence heading into a part of the season in which he has historically excelled.

The World No. 3 is a former champion at the final two ATP Masters 1000 events of the year, the Rolex Shanghai Masters (where Medvedev won in 2019) and the Rolex Paris Masters (2020). He was also the 2020 champion at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he will compete for the fifth consecutive year after sealing his qualification for the prestigious season finale last Monday.

Standing in Medvedev’s way of making his move in New York, of course, is seven-time year-end No. 1 Djokovic. Should the Serbian clinch his record-extending 24th major title on Sunday, he would leapfrog Alcaraz to lead the Live Race and simultaneously open a clear 2,355-point lead on Medvedev.

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Revenge Or Repeat? Djokovic, Medvedev Set For US Open Final Showdown

  • Posted: Sep 09, 2023

Revenge Or Repeat? Djokovic, Medvedev Set For US Open Final Showdown

Duo’s New York clash is rematch of 2021 championship match

There have been 14 previous tour-level meetings between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, but there may be only one in the back of each player’s mind as they step out Sunday on Arthur Ashe Stadium to compete in the US Open championship match.

Medvedev’s straight-sets victory in the 2021 final at Flushing Meadows is not only remembered as the moment he lifted his maiden major trophy. With his 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win, he also denied Djokovic a historic calendar-year Grand Slam. The 27-year-old is not counting on a similar outcome this time around.

“I think the only way I can use [the 2021 final] is thinking that Novak, when he loses, he’s never the same after. He’s different. It’s just a different mentality,” said Medvedev on Friday night after downing top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. “That’s why he has 23 Grand Slams, [all those] Masters 1000s and weeks at No. 1.

“So I have to use it knowing that he’s going to be 10 times better than he was that day, and I have to be, if I want to still beat him, 10 times better than I was that day. That’s what I’m going to try to do.”

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Medvedev in action against Carlos Alcaraz on Friday in New York. Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

After narrowly missing out to Alcaraz in the final at Wimbledon, the calendar-year Grand Slam is not on the line this time around for Djokovic in New York. Yet his triumphs this year at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, which took him past Rafael Nadal to a record 23 major men’s singles titles, have placed him in history-setting territory at every major he enters regardless.

“I understand every time in a Grand Slam final, it’s another shot for history,” said Djokovic after easing past #NextGenATP American Ben Shelton in the semi-finals. “I’m aware of it, and of course I’m very proud of it, but I don’t have much time, nor do I allow myself to reflect on these things or think about the history too much in this sense. When I did that in the past, like the 2021 final here, I was maybe overwhelmed with the occasion and the opportunity, and I underperformed.

“I don’t want this to happen again, and I’ll try to just focus on what needs to be done and tactically prepare myself for that match.”

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Aside from a thrilling five-set comeback win against Laslo Djere in the third round, Djokovic has cruised to his record-equalling 10th US Open final this fortnight without dropping another set. The 36-year-old’s return game has been in particularly fine fettle throughout and appeared to deal with Shelton’s lefty thunderbolts with ease on Friday. Yet Medvedev will still feel his delivery could be the key to getting on top of the Serbian as he looks to improve his 29-5 US Open record.

“I tend to play aggressive, fast, I serve well,” said Medvedev when asked about possible reasons behind his strong showings over the years at Flushing Meadows. “Probably the speed of the court helps me. For example, Indian Wells, that I got to the final was amazing, because I basically can’t hit the ball there. It has nothing to do with my forehand, so I beat some good guys there, some good matches, but as soon as I got someone like Carlos with his style of play, it was kind of over for me.”

Faced with an opponent equally as comfortable settling in for extended rallies, Djokovic may look to exploit Medvedev’s renowned deep returning position by moving forward to try and score quick points. The Serbian has enjoyed success against Medvedev’s unique gamestyle in the past — Djokovic holds a 9-5 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead against the World No. 3 and has won four of the pair’s five previous tour-level meetings.

Most US Open (Formerly US National Championships) Final Appearances Of All Time

Player US Open Finals
Bill Tilden 10
Novak Djokovic 10
William Larned 9
Pete Sampras 8
Ivan Lendl 8
Bill Johnston 8

Medvedev can look to the most recent of those clashes for confidence, however. The 27-year-old downed the Serbian in straight sets in the Dubai semi-finals in February, a win that came in the midst of a 19-match winning streak on hard courts across February and March. Again, however, Medvedev is wary of a Djokovic hungry for revenge.

“Against Novak, it’s the same. He is always better than the previous time he plays,” said Medvedev, who has only beaten Djokovic in consecutive matches once (Monte-Carlo & Cincinnati, 2019). “For example, I beat him in the US Open final [in 2021]; he beat me in Bercy in a great match. Carlos beat him at Wimbledon; [Novak] beat him in Cincinnati.

“Novak is going to be his best version on Sunday, and I have to be the best-ever version of myself if I want to try to beat him.”

2023 Tour-level Win Leaders On Hard Courts

Player W-L
Daniil Medvedev 38-5
Taylor Fritz 35-10
Jannik Sinner 28-7
Novak Djokovic 26-1
Tommy Paul 26-10
Alex de Minaur 26-11

Djokovic and Medvedev’s focus for Sunday’s final may be taking their final chance for Grand Slam glory this season, but the result will also have big implications for the race to finish as year-end No. 1. If Medvedev triumphs, he will move within 1000 points of both the Serbian and Alcaraz in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, setting up an intriguing three-way battle for the final few months of the season.

Yet preventing Djokovic from winning three majors in a calendar year for the fourth time will be some task: The Serbian, who is guaranteed to usurp No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings from Alcaraz on Monday, enters the match with a 26-1 record at the majors this year.

“I’m obviously over the moon with the results so far on Grand Slams,” said Djokovic. “Playing in all four finals of all four Slams in a season is amazing. It’s the highest achievement I can think about when I start the season. That’s what I dream about, that’s what I really wanted, that’s where I want to be, in this kind of position.

“There is another match left, so of course this conversation will be probably even better if I win the title. But definitely whatever happens, I’m extremely proud and content with what I have achieved this year in Grand Slams.”


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