What Novak Djokovic forced Daniil Medvedev to do before their match at the 2021 US Open which was very unusual

Follow us on Google Discover

Daniil Medvedev finally clinched a major title in 2021, after defeating Novak Djokovic in the US Open final that year.

Heading into the championship match, Djokovic was bidding to become the second man in the Open Era, after Rod Laver, to complete the calendar Grand Slam.

The Serb was unstoppable that year, having emerged victorious at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

At Flushing Meadows, however, Medvedev overcame Djokovic in straight sets, becoming the third Russian man in history to win a Grand Slam crown.

After achieving the feat, the second seed revealed what went into his preparation for the clash with the legend.

Daniil Medvedev’s reflection after the 2021 US Open final

In his post-final press conference, Medvedev said: “We always talk tactics before the match with my coach, the day before.

“Usually takes five, ten minutes, some small things. Probably where I’m going to serve, what I’m going to do during the points.

“When it’s against Novak, it took like probably 30 minutes. Why? Because we played already, like, I don’t know, maybe seven matches before this one, maybe even more.

“Every match was different just because he’s so good that every match is different. He changes his tactics, he changes his approach.

“What was different before Australian Open that I had, yeah, clear plan in my mind what I have to do in which moment.

“Of course, it would depend a lot on him because, again, sometimes you have to be aggressive, sometimes defensive. I had a clear plan, which did seem to work.

“Was he at his best? Maybe not today. He had a lot of pressure. I had a lot of pressure, too, about the risk on the second serve, it was because of the confidence I had.

“I knew I could not give him easy serves because that’s what he likes. So that was the plan. Because of the confidence in a lot of tight moments, I managed to do it well.”

Daniil Medvedev said Novak Djokovic was ‘definitely not at his best’ in the 2021 US Open final

He said of Djokovic: “I did beat him once in straight sets. Was in London. I think tennis is such a brutal sport where there is no room for error when you’re playing top guys.

“I am a top guy; he is a top guy. London can be the same. I went out of the match in Nitto Finals, and I was like, That was strange, it was easy.

“I guess, you know, it’s all together. Maybe he had a bad day. If we talk about Australia, I definitely didn’t play my best there. But, again, probably people are going to say, Well, Novak destroyed him, whatever.

“It’s always about the small details. Again, he definitely was not at his best. We saw him playing better. The question is, if he were, would I be able to cope with him? We can never know now. I’m just happy to win.”

Medvedev now trails the head-to-head against Djokovic 10-5 in 2025, having lost five of his last six meetings with him.