World No. 1 Novak Djokovic kept his bid for a calendar Grand Slam alive on Friday, September 10 (Saturday, September 11, Manila time), overcoming German Alexander Zverev, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the US Open semifinal.
Djokovic moved within one win of reaching a men’s record 21 Grand Slam titles and avenged his loss to Zverev at the Tokyo Olympics in front of a roaring crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Rod Laver, the last person to complete a calendar slam 52 years ago, looking on.
“There’s only one match left. All in, all in. Let’s do it,” Djokovic said.
“I’m going to put my heart and my soul and my body and my head into that one. I’m going to treat the next match like it is the last match of my career.”
He will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final, after the world No. 2 sent off 21-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2, in his semifinal.
Djokovic handed the German his first break of the night with a double fault in the first set but otherwise showed no mercy, firing off 41 winners and a dozen aces across the entire match.
The third set was a matter of survival of the fittest.
Djokovic had a 40-0 head start in the 10th game only to see Zverev fend off two break points through marathon rallies, including a 53-shot exchange, before he broke the German’s serve for the set point.
Tied at two sets a piece, Djokovic won a 30-shot rally for the early break, but after fending off four break points saw Zverev convert in the seventh game. He broke Zverev’s serve in the next game before hoisting his arms aloft to wild cheers from the crowd.
“The best atmosphere of the tournament so far,” said Djokovic, who has had a fitful relationship with the New York crowd at times. “These are the moments we live for and these are the kind of unique opportunities that we dream of everyday… So thank you so much for making it special.”
The evening was yet another disappointment for Zverev, who came within two points of winning the tournament a year ago and must once again walk away empty handed, after reaching the semifinals of Roland Garros, as well.
“Alexander is a big champion, is someone that I admire on and off the court,” said Djokovic.
“I knew coming into the court today there is going to be a great battle, as we said, prior to this match. I hope that we brought energy.”
Djokovic, who has hoisted the trophy at Flushing Meadows three times before already, has now equaled Federer’s record of 31 Grand Slam men’s single finals. – Rappler.com
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