Novak Djokovic says he will 'keep going' after US Open win
Novak Djokovic’s grumpy mood after losing the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz is one of the reasons he was able to bounce back and win the US Open on Sunday, according to his own coach. The legendary Serbian collected the 24th Grand Slam of his career in New York after out-foxing third seed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in an energy-sapping final that was more brutal than a straight-sets victory suggested.
The 36-year-old all-time great has won three of this year’s Slams, having already triumphed at the Australian and French Opens before taking yet another major title in the Big Apple.
The only blotch on his copybook is his failure to beat 20-year-old Alcaraz at Wimbledon, with some having believed at the time that the Spaniard’s historic victory could signal the beginning of the end for Djokovic.
But it is always dangerous to write off one of the sport’s true legends and after getting his own back on Alacaraz in the final of the Cincinnati Masters, the week before the US Open, he simply picked up in New York where he left off in Ohio. He flies out of America as a major champion once more.
While the celebrations at Flushing Meadows got underway, Goran Ivanisevic took a question about Djokovic’s mood after his disappointing final defeat at Wimbledon.
The Serb’s coach said: “He’s always cranky on the court it doesn’t matter, Wimbledon or not. We came to Cincinnati and it was mentioned one time, then it was in the past. When you lose it’s how you can get it back. That day, Carlos was better player and he won. Very simple.
“So we came to Cincinnati, prepared for this tournament. He won in Cincinnati. You know, he’s the guy that just forgets the things and moves on. That’s why he’s so good. That’s why this couple of, what, four and a half weeks in the States and he was happy that he could play here. So it was really enjoyable and fun.”
Djokovic’s remarkable career has not been without setbacks and adversity, but Ivanisevic has seen his player bounce back time and time again.
Last year he was deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open due to his vaccination status, but then went on to win Wimbledon in the same year. He then returned to Australia a year after his visa was cancelled and won his record 10th Australian Open.
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“You are born [with that fighting spirit], he’s a genius. He is one of a kind,” Ivanisevic said, as per Tennis365. “There are not too many people in this world like him sport wise. And this is one of the biggest achievements in sports history. We’re not talking about tennis, we’re talking generally in sport. And he’s a winner.
“He is the guy who is motivating himself. He had luck to have guys like Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer come before him, so they pushed each other. But he’s a born winner.
“And for him, when you tell him you cannot do something, it’s even worse. Then he’s going to show you that he can do it. And there are no excuses. He always tries to find a way, how to win, how to fight, even when he’s not feeling well, injured or not injured.
“And it’s just something I cannot say that we are all like that from Balkans because we are not. But he is one of a kind and that’s why he’s the best.”
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