History-chasing Djokovic seeks revenge against Medvedev

Novak Djokovic aims to avenge his US Open loss to Daniil Medvedev and secure his 24th Grand Slam title.

Novak Djokovic is determined to avenge his loss to Daniil Medvedev in the 2021 US Open final and secure his 24th Grand Slam title, which would equal the current record. Djokovic acknowledges the significance of each Grand Slam final as an opportunity to make history but tries not to dwell on it too much, as he believes it can be overwhelming and lead to underperformance. Instead, he focuses on the task at hand and tactically prepares himself for the match.

Medvedev, the third seed, defeated Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to set up a rematch of the final he won against Djokovic two years ago. In that match, Medvedev's victory denied Djokovic the chance to achieve a calendar Grand Slam. Although that feat is not on the line this time, Medvedev aims to once again prevent Djokovic from achieving a historic milestone.

Medvedev recognizes that Djokovic is a different player after a loss and believes he needs to be ten times better than he was in their previous encounter to have a chance at beating him. He acknowledges Djokovic's impressive record of 23 Grand Slam titles, numerous Masters 1000 titles, and weeks at number one, which is a testament to his mentality and determination. Medvedev knows that Djokovic will bring his best game on Sunday, and he must surpass his own previous performance to stand a chance against him.

Djokovic, who currently holds 23 Grand Slam titles, has already had a successful year with victories at the Australian Open and French Open. He fell short at Wimbledon, losing in the final to Alcaraz. Regardless, Djokovic is guaranteed to regain the world number one ranking on Monday. This is the third time he has reached the final of all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single season, achieving the same feat in 2015 and 2021. However, Medvedev halted his quest for a calendar Grand Slam earlier this year.

Djokovic expresses his delight with his Grand Slam results so far and considers reaching the final of all four Slams in a season to be the highest achievement. He is proud of what he has accomplished this year and hopes to cap it off with a victory in the final. Djokovic's semifinal match against Ben Shelton ended in a straight-sets win, and he mimicked Shelton's "dialled in" celebration after the match. Djokovic has mostly cruised through the tournament, winning five of his six matches in straight sets. However, he had to mount a comeback from two sets down in the third round against Laslo Djere, a fellow Serbian player.

In head-to-head matchups, Djokovic holds a 9-5 advantage over Medvedev. However, they have each won once on hard courts in 2023, with Medvedev prevailing in Dubai and Djokovic emerging victorious in Adelaide.

Overall, Sunday's final promises to be a thrilling clash between two formidable opponents, with Djokovic seeking redemption and Medvedev aiming to deny him another historic achievement.

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