Novak Djokovic drops retirement hint as Serena Williams delighted
Novak Djokovic on the importance of routines
Novak Djokovic is preparing to compete for a remarkable 24th Grand Slam of his career in the US Open final on Sunday evening. The Serb faces Daniil Medvedev in a repeat of the 2021 showdown at Flushing Meadows.
On that occasion, the Russian stunned Djokovic by winning in straight sets. Here, Medvedev admits he will need to be at least ‘10 times better’ than he was two years ago to have any chance of seeing off a dominant Djokovic.
It comes after Coco Gauff became the first American teenager to win the US Open since her idol, Serena Williams, did in 1999. The 19-year-old defeated Aryna Sabalenka after coming from a set down.
Williams has reacted with delight after seeing Gauff presented with the trophy. Follow all the latest with our LIVE US Open blog, below….
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READ MORE: Novak Djokovic cried during 2021 US Open final and Daniil Medvedev ‘felt sorry'[LATEST]
Williams delighted
Serena Williams could scarcely contain her excitement at Coco Gauff’s US Open triumph.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion posted a photo of Gauff with the trophy to her Instagram story.
The caption beamed: “Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Amazing!!!!!!!! @cocogauff”
Gauff wins first Grand Slam
Coco Gauff won the first Grand Slam of her career after coming from behind to beat Aryna Sabalenka.
The crowd favourite lost the first leg 6-2 but battled back to win in three sets, taking the other two 6-3 6-2.
The 19-year-old became the first American teenager to win the US Open since her idol Serena Williams did in 1999.
Gauff revealed that she used criticism to motivate herself to win.
“A month ago, I won a 500 title and people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago, I won a 1000 title and people were saying that was the biggest it was gonna get. Three weeks later, I’m here with this trophy right now,” she said on court.
“I tried my best to carry this with grace and I’ve been doing my best. Honestly, to those who thought they were putting water in my fire, you were really adding gas to it. And now I’m really burning so bright.”
She later added in her press conference: “I’m an argumentative person. I’m very stubborn. My parents know. If they tell me one thing, I like to do the other.
“So I really told myself, literally up until, like, 10 minutes before the match, I was just reading comments of people saying I wasn’t going to win today. That just put the fire in me.”
Djokovic outlines retirement plan
Novak Djokovic says he will only retire once he is frequently being beaten by tennis’s next generation at Grand Slams.
The Serb, into a 10th US Open final, will face the 27-year-old Daniil Medvedev on Sunday.
Djokovic, 36, was beaten by the 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Asked about his retirement plans, Djokovic said: “I don’t want to even consider leaving tennis or thinking about an end if I’m still at the top of the game.”
He then quipped: “I will probably consider doing that if I get my a*** kicked by young guys in Grand Slams in the years to come.”
Djokovic can extend his Grand Slam record to a remarkable 24 by beating Medvedev.
Welcome
Hello and welcome to Express Sport’s coverage of Sunday’s tennis news.
We’ll have all the latest from Flushing Meadows, including the reaction to Coco Gauff’s first Grand Slam and a preview to tonight’s men’s singles final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.
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