Novak Djokovic saying he has never felt this love before from the fans in New York... Daniil Medvedev saying for him Djokovic is the greatest in history... He lost the match but seems to have won a few other things along the way.

US Open, where men’s singles Grand Slam champions are created. Five of the last six first-time men’s singles Major winners have been in New York.

Aditya Chaturvedi: What extraordinary scenes towards the end of the match! The images of Djokovic sobbing and stepping up to receive serve with tears in his eyes are sure to stand the test of time. The desire of that man... what a champion!

Daniil Medvedev is the US OPEN CHAMPION – his FIRST Grand Slam title! The world No 2 beats Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to end the world No 1’s bid for a Calendar Slam in straight sets.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 4-*5 Daniil Medvedev: Another championship point, another double fault!

What a massive service game in Medvedev’s career. The biggest.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 4-*5 Daniil Medvedev: Errors flowing from Daniil there. Djokovic holds and Medvedev will serve for the title again. Can he close it out this time?

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 3*-5 Daniil Medvedev: Wow. Two double faults from Daniil! The crowd getting restless, and more importantly Medvedev loses his nerve there. And just like that Djokovic has broken back!!! WOW. A change of shirt for Nole and change of fortunes?!

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 2-*5 Daniil Medvedev: MATCH POINT DANIIL!

A big serve from 15-30 down and it is 30-30, two points away for Daniil.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 2-*5 Daniil Medvedev: Went to 30, but Djokovic holds and will make Daniil serve for the set... and the match.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 1*-5 Daniil Medvedev: Medvedev holds to 30 and he’s now one game away from his first Grand Slam title. Djokovic serving to stay in the match.

Zenia D’Cunha: Daniil Medvedev has more than stayed steady... he seems to have turned it up a notch to go double break up, pouncing on any quarter he’s given. 2 games away from a first Grand Slam... against a hugely pro-Djokovic crowd & the man himself.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 1-*4 Daniil Medvedev: A hold to love for Djokovic, he needed that. Now he needs that return of serve again, his trusted old ally.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 0*-4 Daniil Medvedev: Djokovic is, believe it or not, going through the motions. An easy hold for Medvedev. Wow.

Medvedev continuing to bring the heat when needed. Surely, surely, even Novak Djokovic can’t come back from two sets and two breaks down?! Conversely, if anyone can...

(CORRECTION) Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 0-*3 Daniil Medvedev: Daniil, Daniil. He is painting the lines. And from 30-40 down, he goes on to take a second break of serve in the third set! Surely, surely, even Djokovic can’t come back from here?

Down two sets, down a break, down 0-30. Anyone else, the result would be all but certain. But this is is Djokovic we are talking about, can Djokovic dig deep here?

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 0*-2 Daniil Medvedev: The Russian is playing some scintillating tennis at the moment! What a time to up his game. Djokovic does well to force deuce but misses a simple enough forehand and that is enough for Daniil to hold serve. We cannot believe we are saying this but Djokovic really does look out of it here .

Zenia D’Cunha: The last time Djokovic was 2 sets down in a Slam final – against Tsitsipas at French Open in June – he became the first man to win each Major twice in Open era. Can Medvedev stay as steady if this goes 5? Thiem, Zverev among the younger ones who’ve tried & failed on hard courts

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 0-*1 Daniil Medvedev: Wow, is this really happening? Djokovic misses a forehand volley at 30-30 and Medvedev converts the break point to take a gigantic step towards the trophy. Just needs to hold serve here! Easier said than done against the greatest returner of his times but the Russian is doing all he can at the moment.

Aditya Chaturvedi: As shaky as Djokovic has been , Medvedev has come up with some clutch play on the big points. They’re both feeling the pressure, but full credit to the Russian for handling it better so far.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-6 Daniil Medvedev: Medvedev steadies himself for the third set point and despite an odd looking approach set, benefits from an error by the world No 1. That early service hold from 0-40 was so massive for Medvedev as he takes the second set with a single break of serve too. Djokovic now needs a Roland Garros repeat.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-*5 Daniil Medvedev: Two set points saved by Djokovic as Medvedev misses the first serve again. Nerves here.

Three set points, Daniil. And then a double fault. Geez.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-*5 Daniil Medvedev: Chants of Nole, Nole. Can the world No 1 find a break here?

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 4-*5 Daniil Medvedev: A rather tight Djokovic manages to hold serve. Daniil to serve for a 2-0 lead now.

Djokovic serving to stay in the second set and it is 30-30.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 3*-5 Daniil Medvedev: Oh a couple of sensational points from Medvedev and he holds serve with ease! Those were some of the best points of the second set from either player.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 3-*4 Daniil Medvedev: Djokovic needed that. A relatively eventless service hold. Loosens himself up as he heads over to the chair, a mini fist-bump. Crowd cheers him on. Such tension in this game at the moment, even if it is not the greatest quality of tennis these two are capable of.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2*-4 Daniil Medvedev: Djokovic repeatedly tried serve-and-volley in that previous game, but not much joy. He is clearly rattled at the moment. The crowd has gone a bit quiet too after that Djokovic outburst, it feels like. Medvedev holds serve again.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-*3 Daniil Medvedev: Djokovic breaks his racket and soon after, gets broken. Medvedev is pumped! After a frustrating couple of games on return, Djokovic has an error-prone service game and the Russian capitalises. HUGE roar.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-2 Daniil Medvedev: A DRAMATIC game! Medvedev saves 2 break points to hold, Djokovic gets a warning after SMASHING his racquet even before the game ended. 2-2 in the second.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-*1 Daniil Medvedev: We are witnessing potential game-changing moments here. Medvedev facing a break point, misses the first serve but an umpiring reset calls for a replay of the point and he ends up saving it with a lovely half volley. Back to deuce.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-*1 Daniil Medvedev Not going Djokovic’s way yet but the rallies are getting longer on Medvedev’s serve, he is making service errors, there are fewer easy points. This is Djokovic’s territory now. At 40-40 in the fourth game. Huge points coming up, you feel, for Daniil.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-*1 Daniil Medvedev: A break point for Medvedev now as he crunches a massive forehand winner and tries to get the crowd going (the crowd firmly in favour of Djokovic from what we have seen so far). Djokovic saves one and has a game point but we go to another deuce. A rather brilliant rally follows, and then Djokovic brings out a couple of Djokosmashes out to close out the game. That could be massive! We might have to remember this game, when we look back at the match later.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 1-1 Daniil Medvedev: What a massive hold of serve (and nerve) that for Medvedev. You don’t often see Djokovic let of an opportunity (or three) like that. Huge for the Russian to not let Djokovic do his thing early in this second set.

Novak Djokovic 4-6, 1-0 Daniil Medvedev: Well here we go... solid service hold from Djokovic to start the second set and moments later he has three break points on Medvedev’s serve!

Novak Djokovic 4-6 Daniil Medvedev: Daniil Medvedev holds firm to take the first set 6-4 with the early break and some sensational serving. Lost just three points on serve in that entire first set. But it should be noted that Novak Djokovic dropped the first set in his last 4 matches, as well as the French Open & Wimbledon finals.

Novak Djokovic 4-*5 Daniil Medvedev: A brief window opens for Daniil at 30-30 as he puts himself 2 points away from the set but Djokovic closes it out and will make the Russian serve for the set. Around this time that Djokovic brings his A game.

Novak Djokovic 3*-5 Daniil Medvedev: Another gun service hold at love from Daniil.

Novak Djokovic 3-*4 Daniil Medvedev: And now both players hold their serves to 15. Quick points, quick games at the moment. Chants of Nole, Nole as Daniil gets ready to serve again.

Zenia D’Cunha: Djokovic has dropped the first set in his last 4 matches at #USOpen – against Nishikori, Brooksby, Berrettini & Zverev. He dropped the first set in Wimbledon & French Open finals as well. Not much to read into this early break & slow start, even if Medvedev takes the set.

Novak Djokovic 2-*3 Daniil Medvedev: Brilliant service games for Medvedev and Djokovic, holds at love. Both players in good serving zone at the moment, but Medvedev still holds that break.

Novak Djokovic 1-*2 Daniil Medvedev: Another double fault in that game and suddenly down 15-40, Djokovic plays his best points of the day so far. A lovely 1-2 punch the highlight, as he closes this game out to pick up the pace. He is up and running.

Djokovic facing break points again...

Novak Djokovic *0-2 Daniil Medvedev: And Medvedev consolidates the break of serve. A couple of big booming aces helping his case there.

Novak Djokovic 0-*1 Daniil Medvedev: Well, it seemed like Daniil was all sorts of tight in the first couple of points at least, but he forces deuce from 15-40 down and has a break point in the first game. It is suddenly Djokovic looking tight and a forehand error gives the Russian the first game and a headstart. We have seen Djokovic start slow in New York this time.

Novak Djokovic to serve... ready, play!

Calendar Grand Slams in tennis history

Year Player
1938  Don Budge Men's singles
1962, 1969  Rod Laver Men's singles
1953  Maureen Connolly Women's singles
1970  Margaret Court Women's singles
1988  Steffi Graf Women's singles

Paths to the men’s final (x denotes seed):

Daniil Medvedev (RUS x2)

RD128: bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-4, 6-3, 6-1

RD64: bt Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-4, 6-1, 6-2

RD32: bt Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-0, 6-4, 6-3

RD16: bt Daniel Evans (GBR x24) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3

QF: bt Botic Van de Zandschulp (NED) 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5

SF: bt Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN x12) 6-4, 7-5, 6-2

Paths to the men’s final (x denotes seed):

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1)

RD128: bt Holger Rune (DEN) 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-1

RD64: bt Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

RD32: bt Kei Nishikori (JPN) 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-2

RD16: bt Jenson Brooksby (USA) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2

QF: bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA x6) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3

SF: bt Alexander Zverev (GER x4) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2

STAT: Djokovic is hoping to join Rod Laver (1962, 1969) and Don Budge (1938) as 3rd player to clinch men’s singles calendar Grand Slam. He would be 1st with titles on 3 different surfaces. (via ATP media)

Djokovic’s first opponent in a Grand Slam final in 2021: Medvedev
Djokovic’s last opponent in a Grand Slam final in 2021: Medvedev

Watch: When Novak Djokovic outplayed Daniil Medvedev to kickstart epic 2021 with Australian Open win

Head-to-head: Djokovic leads 5-3

2017 Davis Cup (SRB) Hard RR Djokovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 1-0, retired

2017 Eastbourne Grass SF Djokovic 6-4, 6-4

2019 Australian Open Hard R16 Djokovic 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3

2019 Monte Carlo Clay QF Medvedev 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

2019 Cincinnati Hard SF Medvedev 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

2020 ATP Cup (AUS) Hard RR Djokovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-4

2020 ATP Finals (GBR) Hard RR Medvedev 6-3, 6-3

2021 Australian Open Hard F Djokovic 7-5, 6-2, 6-2

01.00 am: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the US Open 2021 men’s singles final. We could all be witness to a piece magnificent sporting history in the next few hours.

Novak Djokovic will attempt to win the first calendar-year men’s singles Grand Slam since 1969 in Sunday’s US Open final and in the process go clear of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic will try to complete the first sweep of US, Australian and French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year since Australian legend Rod Laver managed the feat 52 years ago.

There is so much attention on the potential Calendar Grand Slam that feels almost as if potential No 21 is going under the radar. Guess that is understandable also due to the fact that No 21 is pretty much inevitable but Calendar Grand Slam is more once-in-a-lifetime.

Of course, it is not going to be easy (at least on paper). The 34-year-old Serbian world number one faces Russia’s second-ranked Daniil Medvedev at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the biggest match of a career that has brought him 20 Slam trophies.