Djokovic wins US Open equalling Court's 24 Grand Slam record

New York 

Monday, 11 September, 2023 

McCreadie Andias 

Serbian International Novak Djokovic yet again hanged his name on the history Archives by winning his fourth US Open equalling a record 24th Grand slam title on Sunday. 

Djokovic saw off His Russian opponent Daniil Medvedev in all three sets by 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to also become the oldest US open champion. 

Djokovic equalled Margaret Court's 24 record Grand Slams moving one above American Serena Williams with 23 record grand slams. 

The 36-year-old Serbian also reclaimed his position as world No 1 having won a stunning three grand slams titles this year with previous victories in Roland Garros and the Australian Open. 

His only set back came in the hands of Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz who saw him off in the Wimbledon finals in a epic five-set clash. Djokovic however took revenge on Alcaraz by eliminating him in the US open semis. 

Djokovic, who wore a tracksuit top adorned with the number 24 and 'Mamba Forever' as a tribute to the late NBA star Kobe Bryant, who wore that jersey number, said: "I don't know where to start, it obviously means the world to me. I'm really living my childhood dream to compete at the highest level in a sport that has given me and my family so much.

"I never imagined I would be standing here talking about 24 Slams. But the last couple of years I felt I had a chance, a shot at history, so why not grab it?

"I thought of doing this T-shirt, eventually, if I get the chance to win the tournament," Djokovic continued. "Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner's mentality.

"When I was struggling with injury he was one of the people I relied on the most. He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice. I thought 24 is the jersey that he wore when he became a legend of Lakers and world basketball."

The last time the two finalists clashed at the US Open was in the 2021 final, when the Medvedev captured his only major and denied the Serb a rare calendar Grand Slam.

During the Women's US Open finals on Saturday, 19-year-old American Coco Gauff had secured her first major women's singles title by defeating Belarus' Aryna Sablenka in a three-set slugfest and making her the youngest American to win since Serena Williams in 1999.