2021 US Open men’s final live updates: Daniil Medvedev beats Novak Djokovic, ends calendar slam

The subplot of Djokovic failing to win the Grand Slam is that he also failed to surpass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s total slam titles. They’re all stuck at 20. It certainly seems that Djokovic is the most likely to win one next, especially after he beat Nadal in the final at Roland Garros, a place Nadal has essentially been crowned king of the clay monarchy.

It feels very much okay then, in this « new era » of men’s tennis that the three of them would end up with 20 slams each for their career. We’re a long ways off from that — Djokovic is 34 and still (mostly) at the top of his game. How ironic though that Djokovic finally got the love and affection from the fans that he has so desperately wanted his entire career, and it only came during the most painful loss of his life. A loss that in theory could keep him on even ground with two other members of The Big Three. On even ground. Not better. Not worse. Even.

Another irony: aside from that win over Nadal during the French Open final earlier this year, I’m not sure we’ll remember any Djokovic performance more than the one he put on tonight. Of course I’m referring to his performance on the podium after he lost and to a lesser degree, the tears he shed in between games during that final set, into his towel, as he realized it was all over. He opened up his heart, exposed his vulnerability to the crowd and earned the one thing he never could achieve by winning so consistently. That’s Jagged Little Pill levels of irony, folks.

[H/T to ESPN’s D’Arcy Maine, whose prose inspired the above].

• Leylah Fernandez is 100% going to be a star. Obviously she’ll need to dig to find a dominant service or return game, one that will thwart her to the top of the odds list at The Australian Open.
• We fully did a 180 from a few weeks ago when all we could get excited about was the potentially wide open women’s side (understatement of the year) to what we’re left with — a diverse set of possibilities on both sides.
• We’re left with a palpable sense that tennis has changed, and we’ve changed, and it’s all for the better. I think the 2022 season will be the first that truly mixes the old guard with the new.
• Osaka, Barty, Sabalenka, Andreescu, Raducanu, Swiatek, Halep, Muguruza, Brady, Serena Williams, Leylah Fernandez, Gauff, Kenin, Kvitova, Pliskova, Svitolina, Mertens, Sakkari, Keys, Bencic, Kerber, Konta, Stephens…want to take a stab at what that list is? In order from best to worst odds, it’s The Australian Open, according to BetMGM. Who will dominate the media coverage there? It’ll surely differ country to country but that is some serious firepower and a very, very fun group of women, newer and older on the scene.
• On the men’s side: Djokovic, Medvedev, Nadal, Thiem, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Federer, Sinner, Rublev, Shapovalov, FAA, Raonic, Murray (!!!!), Karatsev, Goffin, Berrettini, Kyrgios (!!!!!), Dimitrov. Significantly less of a wide open field there but still, a shakeup that will only do wonderful things for tennis.
• After a season of crushing desperation that included COVID, quarantines, no crowds, extra travel, an unending crisis for the budding young superstar Naomi Osaka, and injuries galore with a crowded / staggered schedule, Flushing Meadows brought a gigantic sigh of relief. No the pandemic is not over and no we are not entirely optimistic about the chaos that continues to envelop our planet. But there’s a glimmer of light with a new generation and a brand new crop of stars. We march into Indian Wells, into San Diego, into 2022 with a sense of peace. At least for now.

He has so much to celebrate and the man deserves it. It’s sad to think we have to wait until February before we get another title celebration like this one but at least it’s in Australia, the world’s capital of fun.

SI’s Jon Wertheim has 50 thoughts on the US Open, many of them about unheralded stories we were not expecting this year. Overall we went from ‘wow there are no stars in this tournament, it’s going to be a bad one’ to ‘yeah nobody cares about those old stars because we have new ones!’

The contrast between how the crowd treated him in this final and how they treated him vs. Rune a few weeks ago is simply remarkable. Good on you, Novak.

The Grand Slam may have beaten him but I definitely walk away with more respect than I had before this match, racket smash notwithstanding.

« So many different emotions. What I said on the ceremony, I really mean it. Of course, part of me is really sad. It’s a tough one to swallow, this loss, I mean, considering everything that was on the line.

But on the other hand I felt something here I have never felt in New York. The crowd made me very special. They pleasantly surprised me. I did not know, I did not expect anything, but the amount of support and energy and love that I got from the crowd was something that I’ll remember forever. I mean, that’s the reason on the changeover that I was tearing up. The emotion, the energy was so strong. I mean, it’s as strong as winning 21 Grand Slams. That’s how I felt, honestly. I felt very, very special.

They touched my heart, honestly. Of course, in the end of the day you want to win. You’re a professional athlete. These are the moments you cherish. These are connections that you establish people for a very, very long time. Yeah, it was just wonderful. »

Medvedev is cramping? I’m cramping just from sitting and watching all weekend. What a warrior. I hope he takes a massive break this next week.

Thank you, Graham Ruthven for taking the words out of my mouth.

A couple of additional notes:

• Just because we’re in a new era, on both the men’s and women’s sides, doesn’t mean the big names won’t continue to be huge draws or even win tournaments. But Serena, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are somewhat unlikely to win a major again. Novak probably has the best shot, along with Nadal at Roland Garros because well … you know why (even though Novak beat him this year!)
• The ‘new era’ is really just a TON of young talent coming up. Some out of nowhere (Raducanu) and others slowly building their way up (Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Leylah Fernandez, Carlos Alcaraz).
• Being a teenager is the new 25-year-old in tennis.
• Canada and the UK, let’s gooooooooooo!!!!!! Always so, so exciting to see new countries creating tennis stars left and right. As an American of course I really want the American men to start charging ahead but more than anything, we need underdog players, from underdog nations, playing underdog tennis. More of that all day every day.

Been waiting a long time for this. Some quotes from both men. Someone just unfurled a ‘Like it or not — greatest of all time’ Serbian flag and Djokovic has lots and lots and lots of tears in his eyes.

Novak Djokovic: « I’d like to start off to say congratulations to Daniil. If there’s anyone that deserves a grand slam title right now, it’s you. Well done. »

« I was thinking in both scenarios, visualizing myself in both scenarios, wondering what I would say … I would like to say that tonight even though I haven’t won the match, my heart is filled with joy tonight and I’m the happiest man alive because you guys made me feel very special. I love you and I’ll see you soon. Thank you. »

Daniil Medvedev: « First of all, it’s the first time I’m so nervous saying my speech. First of all sorry to the fans and Novak. We all know what he was going for here today. What you accomplished this year and throughout your career — I’ve never said this to anyone and I’ll say it right now — for me you are the greatest tennis player in history. »

« Starting from 2019, you gave me a lot of energy. It was not easy but thanks a lot guys. »

« Last but not least I want to finish on a very sweet note. It’s the second anniversary for me and my wife today. And during the tournament I couldn’t think of a present, I thought I needed to find a present fast. When I won, I thought if I lose I have no time to find a present so I better win. »

They were not particularly mature there at the end, booing him while he was serving for Championship Point. But I guess they had reason to be cheering Djokovic on — the calendar slam on the line, plus in 2019 Medvedev pulled a WWE heel move and asked the crowd to boo him repeatedly after winning a match.

I doubt he won’t take the high road in these post-match on-court interviews but definitely get your popcorn ready. It’s been a long two weeks at Flushing Meadows and this is the final event. On pins and needles over here.

Medvedev is the first of his generation to beat one of The Big Three in a major final. With two teenagers reaching the final on the women’s side, tennis has completely changed overnight.

Federer, Djokovic and Nadal are all stuck on 20 major titles. Medvedev gets his first. He left everything on the court, even doing the dead fish celebration.

He spoils Novak Djokovic’s calendar slam party with a very, very convincing 6-4, 6-4 6-4 win at Arthur Ashe stadium. He earns his very first major title and he does it in a way that absolutely nobody saw coming. Many pundits and media predicted this would be the final — these were the top two ranked players and Medvedev traditionally plays very well on hard courts. But the way he did it was completely nuts. Djokovic looked like a vehicle that simply ran out of gas. He was pushing a boulder uphill the entire match. Pretty stunning.

Djokovic was (literally) red in the face toward the end, and it showed. Medvedev simply picked him apart with a stunning variety of serves. He returned beautifully against the best returner of all time by hanging deep and using his 6-6 frame, superior speed and mental strength. It’s a very exciting turn of events for tennis, despite the bummer for the sport that Djokovic could not win the Grand Slam.

Djokovic just looks tired. A step slow again and again. Don’t know if it’s nerves, time spent on court, or something else. Whatever it is this is a momentous moment in men’s tennis as one of the Big 3 loses, likely, to the younger generation in a Slam final. The torch is being passed apparently.

6-4, 6-4 and Medvedev up 4-0 in the third set.

John McEnroe is « rolling the credits » already by thanking producers and ESPN staff. I wouldn’t call that embarrassing but it’s a little uncomfortable.

Medvedev has been traveling with a mental / psychological coach for this entire season and it seems to be giving him energy. He has looked completely dominant from the very first point. It’s pretty stunning and even though the odds were essentially 50-50 before the match begin, nobody saw this kind of win coming. He, Tsitsipas and Zverev are the new generation and none of them have beaten any of the Big Three in a major final.

There looks to be zero path forward here for Djokovic, ASIDE from the fact that a lot of the youngsters that have had the veterans on the ropes haven’t closed well.

He’s up two sets and a break. 2-0 in the third. Clock’s ticking on history for Novak.

For some reason nobody has talked much about Novak Djokovic’s fatigue — and why in fact it’s so difficult to win a calendar slam, especially in an Olympics year.

Djokovic is definitely tired out of his mind, whether he’s willing to admit it or not:

• Season began in February in Australia
• Squeeze in Tokyo into the calendar
• He’s 34
• He lost the first set in the last five matches here at Flushing Meadows
• Have you heard there’s a pandemic?

If Djokovic does in fact falter and fail to win this calendar slam, it makes a lot of sense that Medvedev’s the guy to stop him. He’s playing lightning fast, serving with a cannon, and keeping his composure. Djokovic is doing none of those things.

In between serves, he’s not beating him with anything special on the court. Just some good old fashioned consistency and speed. It does feel a lot like Djokovic is faltering more than usual.

Djokovic is down a break and if he fails to win the second set, the floodgates could open emotionally.

Thinking about my friend, the late tennis reporter Bud Collins, today. Collins, who passed in 2016, had his own pet peeve: calling one Major a Grand Slam. He would tell anyone who would listen not to call a win at one of the four majors a Slam victory. Grand Slam should only refer to winning all 4 majors in the same year, Collins said. He lost that battle; but hopefully he is smiling at the correct usage of the phrase being deployed from the Open, where the media room is named after him. Funny tidbit about Collins: he once was tennis coach at Brandeis and one of his players was future yippie Abbie Hoffman. Collins told me his rule was ties worn traveling to roadtrips, but Hoffman would show up with ropes around his neck.

A let and a fault on Medvedev’s serve and some major boos from the crowd after Djokovic shows how upset he is with the speaker randomly playing music in the middle of the point.

We’ve been assuming that Djokovic would really bring it all together and get stronger as the match went on but it’s been a rollercoaster. Can he shake off the anger and stick with it or will Medvedev (known for his emotional outbursts) outlast him on the mental side?

« Welp. Someone just lost their job for next year. » — Patrick McEnroe on the ESPN broadcast.

Still can’t get over how insanely fast Medvedev is playing. I think he’s getting pretty tired out there. He got away with one there.

They’re sticking with Djoker as they gave him a standing ovation there.

Always wondered what racket companies think of endorsers like Djokovic smashing their product.

Big moments at the start of the second set with both players saving break points. Medvedev is obviously still in a great position with that first set in the bag, but you feel he needs to capitalise with Djokovic wobbling a bit here. That doesn’t happen very often and if past experience is anything to go by, we can expect the world No 1 to get stronger as the match wears on.

A 27-point rally there in the fourth game that goes to Medvedev.

Djokovic holds and the crowd is going absolutely ballistic. He’s up 2-1. He was up advantage, went back to deuce then won two long rallies to seal it.

I have to say that I’m finding myself pulling for him. Would be very, very happy for Medvedev if he could pull this off but I’ll always take history over no history.

Every error that Medvedev makes, the crowd is pouring it all on him. Weirdly there are even people yelling while he serves. Umpire reminds them to keep it shut.

Up 40-0, Medvedev played crazy fast and won three points. A patented super-long rally put us to 40-40 and Djokovic got furious with himself by smashing his legs with his racket and his free hand. Yet another huge, fast ace and Medvedev holds. What a freaking performance that was. So swift and powerful.

Pet peeve with tennis broadcasts. The camera loves to settle on celebrities, and members of the players’ entourages. The question I have often is who is that? Their names should be inserted digitally onto the screen whenever possible. Sometimes the announcers mention, but not always and it’s easy to miss.

With all the pressure on the planet barreling down on him, Daniil Medvedev just served to win the first set 6-4. Of course we need to remind you that Djokovic has been doing this regularly — losing the first set and then storming back in the five-set format. ESPN commentator and tennis lifer Brad Gilbert said before the match that if Med didn’t win the first, you can ‘forget about it’. He has now done it.

Djokovic looked cold but not that cold. I’d be willing to bet he’ll win the second set. Let’s see what he can do on service. Medvedev is smashing his serves and winning his service games EXTREMELY quickly.

Dylan is my new favourite person. Give him all the beers!!

Putting the cup on his head afterwards made me chuckle even more

Super fast start from Medvedev here, but Djokovic growing into it. It’s a hot day in NYC on what are already very fast courts – which at the moment is playing perfectly into Medvedev’s hands as he bangs down ace after ace. Long, long way to go though.

It’s 4-3 Medvedev, who is up a break.

Maria Sharapova, Al Roker, Alec Baldwin, Stan Smith, Ben Stiller, Rami Malke, Henrik Lundqvist, Spike Lee, and Vera Wang also in attendance. Drinks on me if you can give me one additional commonality between those ten people…

Djokovic is starting to settle in, finally.

It might be because it is getting late in the UK but I really don’t remember the last time I’ve seen Djokovic look so uncomfortable.

Medvedev needs to pounce on the opportunity to get ahead because I would put money on Djokovic fighting all the way to the end.

The crowd is desperate for Djoker to pull it out and they’re making it very well-known. He settles down on his service game; he’s down a break. 3-1 Medvedev. He won that fourth game in 47 seconds.

Djokovic looks a bit nervous but nothing too wild, especially given he has dropped the first set three times during this US Open alone. Remember, this is the guy that simply doesn’t lose in five sets.

I had a former tennis coach text me yesterday about Djokovic losing the first set so regularly: « I almost feel like he’s doing it on purpose. It’s his ploy. Draw you in, lull you to sleep. »

That feels like a gigantic stretch but it’s not out of the question that he’s been starting very slow.

Speaking of Godsick, Rod Laver is wearing a Laver Cup hat. The Laver Cup was created by Godsick as a sort of Ryder Cup for tennis. It will occur in Boston September 24-26. Camera will be on Laver a lot today, so that is some good free advertising.

It really is going to be a test of endurance between Medvedev and Djokovic.

It is already clear the Russian is going to play the long game. Djokovic will have to be clinical if he wants to win.

If you’re a Djokovic fan or not, it’s another exciting night of tennis where more records could be broken!

Strange double fault in the first service game from Djokovic. As expected, we’re in for a grind it out, kill your opponent till they’re blue in the face affair here. On the flip side, Djoker finished the third point of the first game with a sprint to the net / smash combination. He also over-hit the final point that gave the point to Medvedev.

Yet again, it looks like Djokovic is coming out the gate very, very slow. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if he dropped the first set.

Tell you what though — if we don’t get a few 30-plus (and one of 53)-shot rallies like Djokovic and Zverev had in the Semifinal, we’ll be very disappointed!

Re-posting from last night…

What to look out for:

Novak Djokovic is going for history and if history is any teacher, he won’t falter. Djokovic simply does not blow it in big moments. He has won 85 career titles, 20 majors and the last three grand slams. He did lose in the Olympics gold medal match to Alexander Zverev, a semifinalist this year. The kicker? 5 sets vs. 3 sets. Djokovic has lost the first set in three matches during this tournament but he always hangs around and punishes opponents for not stepping on his neck when they had the chance.

Medvedev plays very much like Djoker: extremely consistent, whack-a-mole tennis. He doesn’t try to get cute with drop shots, backhand spinners or even baseline winners. He has yet to win a major title but if he’s ever going to do it, it’s now. He’ll have to pull a Djokovic and return at a Hall of Fame level if he’s going to get there. They’re both in remarkably good shape (despite being a decade apart in age). I expect this one to go to at least a fourth set and maybe a fifth.

The crowd: a fairly pro-Djokovic crowd given the opportunity at history. A lot of folks are meh on Djokovic as a personality / alpha dog in the sport but they’re pulling for him simply because winning all four majors in a calendar year is so rare. Medvedev has matured, his game has evolved and he’s becoming more likable by the tournament. I’ll give Djokovic the edge here crowd-wise, which is hilarious to think about given how reluctant they’ve been to cheer him on this year (remember the match against 18-year-old Rune? It was almost embarrassing how much the crowd was cheering on Djoker’s demise). He’s had his fair share of controversy but nothing gigantic or career-defining. Aside from a few emotional outbursts, both men have little reason to be loved or hated.

Yesterday at the Open, I bumped into Tony Godsick, agent to Roger Federer and Coco Gauff. He was in a rush with a player at his side: his son Nicholas Godsick, who competed in the junior boys doubles. Pater Godsick is married to former player and ESPN commentator Mary Joe Fernandez

That Laver interview was interesting. All I could think about was what Djokovic is going to look like at close to 85 years old.

Do you think it’ll take that long for another calendar slam winner?

What Djokovic is doing is arguably even more remarkable because he is leading a nascent labor revolution in tennis as co-head of the Professional Tennis Players Association. Formed at last year’s Open, the PTPA strives to represent pro tennis players. Labor in tennis operates under a strange paradigm, with the ATP and WTA Tours managed equally by player and tournament reps. Djokovic and the PTPA charge that this structure short changes the players. But the PTPA has had a tough job muscling into the power structure. It claims to be complementary to the ATP, but the ATP has all but given the group the talk to the hand routine. The PTPA has some impressive advisors, including fund titan Bill Ackman, who is offering a webinar to PTPA members on investing. But thus far there is no evidence the PTPA has a seat at the tennis power table. That may prove more formidable than the calendar year Slam.

Stan Wawrinka: « He’s so tough to beat. Firstly, in [his] game, he doesn’t have weaknesses, » noted Wawrinka, who won the last two meetings, both at the US Open. « He’s making you under pressure from the first shots, with his returns he is putting you under pressure all the time. … You always feel that you have to do something extra and, for sure, in Grand Slams it’s even more difficult to do that in five sets. »

A few bits from your Runner ups…

Gauff [tearing up]: « I want to say thank you to Caty, I had a lot of fun playing with you. Thank you for always supporting me. A lot of people don’t know this but Sam Stosur was my first-ever autograph. Thank you to the New York fans for supporting us. »

McNally: « Right now it’s a pretty difficult pill to swallow. I just wanted to thank Coco these past couple of weeks … we’ve been through a lot together but I’m really lucky to have you. We’re gonna figure it out, I know we will. It’s just a great experience. [To Coco]: I just love you, I hope you know that. »

Title-winners…

Zhang: « I’m the only Chinese player in the draw this year, which is so special. The first day I told Sam ‘I still don’t have this trophy’ and Sam said ‘don’t worry I have extras at home’. Really well done to Coco and Caty. »

Stosur: « It’s a little bit of a scary thought [still standing here 16 years later]. It’s been an absolutely incredible tournament. »

The tournament purse prize? $660K. Not bad.

They win it 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 over Americans Coco Gauff and Caty McNally. Gauff hit a wild lob at match point to stave off the eventual champions but it wasn’t enough. Sam Stosur is likely playing her last-ever match at the US Open. A decade ago she won the singles title.

Side note: Gauff let go of her racket at the end of the match which was not a great look. Again: she’s 17. She’ll get there. It happens all the time to plenty of much older players (ahem, Djokovic … literally twice her age).

Coco is out there screaming at the top of her lungs and getting the crowd fired up, which is awesome especially ahead of this men’s final. Easy to forget she’s a junior in high school. They had double break point and weren’t able to finish them off.

Either way I can’t wait to hear these post-match interviews.

IBM’s Watson Match Insights surprises me with calling the match nearly 50-50, with Djokovic given a 51% chance of winning to Medvedev’s 49%. By contrast, over at tennis.com (owned by Sinclair) Djokovic has a 68.1 percent chance to complete the Grand Slam, which seems more right. Sinclair’s odds are derived from more traditional betting sources (SportRadar), while Watson crunches data from the tournament.

Djokovic has won 20 Slams, Medvedev zero. That factor is not digested by Watson, nor Djokovic’s supreme mental toughness that has emerged repeatedly this tournament as he has lost the first set in five of his six matches this fortnight. It’s likely those first set losses that are showing up in Watson’s nearly even projection. But Djokovic losing the first set has proved meaningless thus far. Maybe I am just an old man yelling to get off my lawn to a machine though.

On ESPN they just reminded us that Djokovic has spent 337 weeks at No. 1.

No. 11-ranked Americans Coco Gauff and Caty McNally are facing No. 14-ranked Sam Stosur (Australia) and Zhang Shuai (China) in the women’s doubles final. We’re in a third and final set here with a 2-2 tie after that fourth game lasting almost ten minutes.

Speaking of endorsement deals and potential future superstars, both Gauff (17) and McNally (19) are soaring. Gauff is the media darling on the singles side but McNally has been playing some incredible doubles tennis. Gauff has made it at least to the third round of every Grand Slam since she began her quest in 2019 and this season made it to the Quarterfinal at Roland Garros. She’s famously sponsored by New Balance and has been rocking some iconic purple dress / shoe combos throughout the last couple of weeks at Flushing Meadows.

Off the court, a big winner this fortnight is agency powerhouse Endeavor. Its WME-IMG division represents Emma Raducanu, Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic, so the agency is assured of a clean sweep of the pro single titles. It also reps 17-year-old Robin Montgomery, who won the junior girls and doubles titles.

It had been shaping up to be a rough Open with clients Serena Williams not playing due to injury, and the much-chronicled issues bedeviling Naomi Osaka. Leylah Fernandez, the losing finalist yesterday, is repped by GSE Worldwide. Watching the marketing of Raducanu in particular will be fascinating. She stands to be the most marketable female athlete in the UK’s history. Currently, she only boasts sneaker and racket deals but does have a congratulatory letter from the Queen. One can almost already hear the coming hype around her for next year’s Wimbledon.

Separately, Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu are both multi-lingual, which adds to the worldwide marketability. Fernandez speaks English, French and Spanish and Raducanu speaks English and Mandarin.

Absolutely amazing. We’re 2.5 hours away from the men’s final and it’s already getting misty in here…

The best part about watching second-day coverage – this morning from Sky News – detailing the Raducanu Effect – was not necessarily about the financial implications of her U.S. Open title but the transformative impact on the next generation.

A Sky crew went out to where Raducanu first started playing tennis, a club in Bromley in Southeast London. My favorite bit was an interview with two small children, a girl and her younger brother: “Since I’m here, I think I’m going to be a tennis champion … and so is my little brother Walter.”

That phrase comes from the Royal Family; according to their website it’s a tradition that has existed since 1660. I’m a bit of an Anglophile myself having lived in London for five years to cover football. In North America, we’ve got an obsession for British cultural customs (the Royal Family in particular) that make phrases like this fairly commonplace. Whatever the reason, here’s what we wrote ahead of the US Open on former Grand Slam champions in the women’s draw:

Finally, I’m so fired up that there are so many former Grand Slam champions in this draw. The women’s game is so much better off for it. We’ll all miss Serena and Venus but here’s your list of former champs playing this year: Petra Kvitova, Viktoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko, Sloane Stephens, Simona Halep, Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu, Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova. The men’s game wouldn’t dare roll out a list like that!

Stop and think about that for a second: despite two of the biggest names in the history of women’s tennis not playing in this tournament, there were still twelve former champions in the draw. And the final was between a qualifier (Raducanu, your champion) and the 70th-ranked player (Leylah Fernandez, your runner-up) in the world. I won’t let recency bias hammer away at my predictions here so instead I’ll simply give you the BetMGM odds for the Australian Open in February:

• Osaka +350
• Barty +500
• Sabalenka and Andreescu +800
• Raducanu +900
• Swiatek +1000
• Halep +1200
• Muguruza +1400
• Brady +1400
• Serena +1400
• Fernandez +1600

In short, the future of the women’s game is looking BRIGHT. That’s quite a stark contrast between what is happening on the men’s side. Sabalenka and Brady are the only players on that list without a Grand Slam title. Only the brightest, most analytical tennis minds will be predicting winners during the 2022 season. I can’t wait to see what happens.

A refresher piece from the US Open on Djokovic’s calendar slam run and his big win over Zverev in the semifinal. It’s too bad he fell to Zverev in the gold medal game in Tokyo as he would’ve been eligible for the « golden slam ».

Men’s tennis has shifted from a Big Three (Djokovic, Federer, Nadal) to a Big One (Djokovic) and a secondary Big Three (Tsitsipas, Medvedv, Zverev). If Medvedev pulls off the massive upset, everything will change overnight. I think we’re in for a very competitive four of five-setter.

Tennis Now’s Chris Oddo did the hard work for us at the much-delayed Raducanu title-winning press conference. 9:47pm in New York. I don’t know how you do it, East Coasters.

My thoughts:

• I would love to have 6 hours without my phone!
• No surprise that the match officials wouldn’t let her play with blood running down her leg. Gotta chop that up to good luck for her and bad luck for Leylah. As we discussed at the very beginning of the match, tennis is ALL about momentum. Why else would Andy Murray (and everyone else on Planet Tennis sans Novak Djokovic) blast Tsitsipas for taking a self-induced break in the middle of a match?
• It’s pretty weird to see Raducanu in street clothes. Looks like a normal high school student to me. Maybe a high school student with $2.5M burning a hole in the back of her pocket? Yeah that’s it.

The Djokovic ‘first he takes your legs then he takes your soul’ tweet really sent us all for a loop and now we have some joyous support for our runner-up. Dude is very genuine.

A few other great tributes from the tennis / UK world to EmRad:

• US Open account, who loves the 250K-plus-in-a-day IG flex
• The Queen. Yup, it’s that Queen. Also The Royal Family of the same … family.
• Martina Navratilova, noted fan of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga
• Gary Lineker, former England footballer and on-air Tweeter
• British footballer, recent Man City transfer and excellent hair-haver Jack Grealish
• England football, who shared a photo of her at a Wembley match from who knows when
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who I will not comment on
• NY Times’ Ben Rothenberg, dropping deep knowledge about Raducanu’s run

After the high of today’s women’s final, we move on to tomorrow’s men’s clash at 4ET on ESPN. What to look out for:

• Novak Djokovic is going for history and if history is any teacher, he won’t falter. Djokovic simply does not blow it in big moments. He has won 85 career titles, 20 majors and the last three grand slams. He did lose in the Olympics gold medal match to Alexander Zverev, a semifinalist this year. The kicker? 5 sets vs. 3 sets. Djokovic has lost the first set in three matches during this tournament but he always hangs around and punishes opponents for not stepping on his neck when they had the chance.
• Medvedev plays very much like Djoker: extremely consistent, whack-a-mole tennis. He doesn’t try to get cute with drop shots, backhand spinners or even baseline winners. He has yet to win a major title but if he’s ever going to do it, it’s now. He’ll have to pull a Djokovic and return at a Hall of Fame level if he’s going to get there. They’re both in remarkably good shape (despite being a decade apart in age). I expect this one to go to at least a fourth set and maybe a fifth.
• The crowd: there is no clear winner here. A lot of folks are meh on Djokovic as a personality / alpha dog in the sport but they’re pulling for him simply because winning all four majors in a calendar year is so rare. Medvedev has matured, his game has evolved and he’s becoming more likable by the tournament. I’ll give Djokovic the slight edge here crowd-wise, which is hilarious to think about given how reluctant they’ve been to cheer him on this year (remember the match against 18-year-old Rune? It was almost embarrassing how much the crowd was cheering on Djoker’s demise). He’s had his fair share of controversy but nothing gigantic or career-defining. Aside from a few emotional outbursts, both men have little reason to be loved or hated.

Medvedev is young and different but still ranked no. 2 in the world. Djokovic is 34, going for the calendar slam and isn’t exactly hated but to imagine him getting this kind of reception if he does in fact win?

More proof that aside from equal pay (which, YEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!), there isn’t much similar on the two sides right now.

I have Djokovic beating Medvedev in four sets. Djokovic is -250 and Medvedev is +210, according to BetMGM. You can expect a very close match.

Speaking of close matchups, do we have a future rivalry-stirring moment there with the medical timeout?

It feels like we all collectively blinked and tennis has changed overnight. Perhaps by the time we get to the Australian Open in February of next year what we just witnessed will not feel quite so impactful. I doubt it.

Where to even start with that? Completely in awe of Emma Raducanu. The US Open champion! As a qualifier. Drink it in everyone in Britain, because it doesn’t get much better than this.

Billie Jean King, thank you very much for everything you’ve done for girls and women in sport. Thank you for still being around and supporting the game after all these years. Unbelievable win here for Emma Raducanu. Thanks for joining us!

Tennis is brutal. You lose a final and you have to go out there and stand next to the person you just lost to — imagine that in golf. Or lord forbid any team sport. It requires a level of emotional maturity that very few adults have, let alone teenagers. This is pretty inspiring to watch.

On a different level we’ve got check / cheque jokes for days on Twitter right now. And a VERY lame Katy Perry Teenage Dream playing in the background. It’s okay tennis you can have this one.

Also Channel 4 in the UK captured Larry David on the broadcast and I don’t think they got him on ESPN anywhere. Problem?

« I know on this day it was especially hard for New York. I just want to say that I hope I can be as strong and resilient as New York has been the past twenty years. Thank you for always having my back, thank you for cheering for me. I love you New York and hope to see you next year. » — Leylah Fernandez

Emma Raducanu the qualifier went all the way and completed a wonderful run to become the US Open Champion. She’s the first qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam. And yet, she’ll be ranked behind many of the players that she (and Leylah Fernandez) beat on their way to the final.

Before we began, we really had no idea who was going to win — one of the consistent players in Osaka or Barty? A former Grand Slam champion? Instead we got two teenagers from two non-dominant nations traditionally.

It just wasn’t to be for Fernandez today. But, Fernandez impressed by showing fight with her back against the wall as she stared down championship point.

Fernandez can always say that in the best year of her young career that she has a WTA title victory to her name and a U.S. Open final appearance. She put the tennis world on notice this week, if they aren’t already aware. And Canada has another tennis phenom to believe in, not just Bianca Andreescu.

SHE HAS DONE IT!

Raducanu is the US Open women’s champion.

She has become the second British female to win a Grand Slam without dropping a single set. Angela Mortimer Barrett was the first to do so at the 1958 Australian Championships.S

She started this tournament ranked 150th in the world. Now she’s the US Open champion.

Huge congratulations to Leylah Fernandez who went on her own sensational run.

This short medical break is going to feel like a lifetime for both Raducanu and Fernandez.

It’s understandable that Fernandez is frustrated the game has stopped with the momentum on her side.

This could make or break the match for either of them…

And she’s out there with a smirk on her face. 5-3 and break point.

Raducanu took a break after sliding a bit on the court and took a medical timeout (three minutes). Blood on the court is not allowed, of course.

This crowd is very, very fired up right now. 6pm on Saturday night in New York City. You surprised?

There’s a “The Natural” feel to Raducanu. Obviously Roy Hobbs was older, but the coming from the proverbial nowhere in a flash to be the best resonates. Fernandez was a known quantity within tennis, but Raducanu shocked the world at Wimbledon on her way to the fourth round as a wildcard. And then this. There is a reason a qualifier has never been to a Slam final well enough be on the precipice of winning. It’s like a low minor leaguer turning into Babe Ruth.

It’s nearly 11pm here in the UK and there is no way I am turning my TV off.

The last two games have been jaw dropping. I really don’t know what to tell you anymore. If you don’t have this match on, PUT IT ON.

Raducanu just hit three of the craziest shots you’ll ever see from a tennis player let alone an 18-year-old let alone a qualifier let alone in a Slam final. What’s the word for ultra unicorn?

She’s one hold away.

Presented without comment

At 40-15, it looked as though it would be a very easy game for Leylah. Raducanu stormed back and nearly took the game before Fernandez put it back to deuce by inducing a huge error from Raducanu. She put her away to go back up advantage and finally finished her off.

You know how when Kendrick Lamar dropped Good Kidd, m.A.A.d. City and we all knew it would be a classic right out the gate? Yeah, this is like that.

2-1 Leylah in the second set; Raducanu has the one-set lead.

The composure from Fernandez in the second game deserves a standing ovation!

Three points down only to win five straight shows how much resilience she has. I can’t take my eyes off the TV!

Emma Raducanu still has yet to lose a set. That’s 19 in a row.

If Raducanu triumphs her winner’s check will be slightly larger than the $2.5 million allotted to the victor, she also gets tens of thousands for winning three rounds of qualifying.

Wow, wow, wow. Phenomenal level from both players, but Raducanu again surging for the finish line as we reached the set’s conclusion. Can she keep it up? It’s certainly not going to be easy but that’s some start for Raducanu. And by breaking to clinch the opener she gets to serve first in the second.

Deservedly, Raducanu takes the first set in what has been an exhilarating match so far.

Fernandez has shown signs of adapting and making Raducanu work harder for each point and that will continue to be key for the second set.

If Raducanu can keep up with the intensity of her own gameplay then it’s hers to lose.

Raducanu remains VERY serious out there and as much as she can be the heel in this match, she’s embracing it. Leylah’s holding all the crowd energy and Raducanu is up a set. Emma let out a gigantic wail after winning the final point.

Leylah fended off three set points and is hanging on admirably. It feels like this thing would maybe almost be over already if it wasn’t a final. She’s channeling so much and living up to the moment. Super inspiring even in loss.

This is an extremely close match. They just mentioned it on the broadcast — it’s been nearly an hour for just one set.

We’ve got two extremely likable athletes here and if nothing else they very much deserve this huge crowd and all this excitement.

Things I have loved in this match so far from Fernandez:

• Her ability to change the pace of the ball
• Her down-the-line backhands and forehands
• Her strong serves

Things I have loved so far from Raducanu:

• Hearing almost all of her footsteps squeak on the court
• Her volleys
• Her willingness to control each point

This was one of the most fun points of the match and it says a lot about how both women are playing. Leylah’s using her drop shot, implementing deception and trying to wizard her way around Raducanu’s power.

It’s 4-4, with Raducanu about to serve. If Leylah can break her, that would be massive.

It’s nice the USTA honored the Marines before the match, but couldn’t they get better seats? When they ascended the steps nearby fans applauded.

[Image taken live at the event].

…Carl / Beyonce is all of us.

There are two anniversaries being noted here. One is somber, the 9/11 20 year anniversary. The Open had just ended 20 years ago when the attack occurred. Men’s champion Leyton Hewitt had just landed back in Australia when the terrorists attacked.

The second is the 50 year anniversary of the creation of the WTA, a seminal moment in women’s sports. The nine original members are known as the Original 9, and several of them, including Billie Jean King took part in the coin toss. In the history of sports labor movements the story of the Original 9, which took on not just management but society, should be told.

And just like that Raducanu has the lead again! I am astonished at how hard both players are still hitting the ball!

Both Fernandez and Raducanu have used a lob to change the pace of the rallies and it has been effective in helping them win key points.

The Canadian is looking a lot more settled and is putting Raducanu on the back foot more after she had an impressive opening two games. Get your popcorn because this is going to be a long match.

I’m already getting the chills watching this thing. In recent memory, grand slam finals have just not been this exciting or closely matched.

More than team sports, individual sports thrive on unpredictability, human interest stories and underdogs. Novak Djokovic will try to do something no man has done since the 1960s and somehow these two young women are overshadowing that accomplishment. Let’s just say likability matters.

It’s 2-2 in the first set. LFG? LFG indeed.

As crazy as it is to say, this reminds me so far of the Djokovic Murray 2012 final. Both pushing each other to more and more ludicrous feats of defence. If they can keep this up, we’re in for a classic final.

The crowd inside Ashe is definitely more pro Fernandez (I am in the nosebleeds), which given the North of the border flavor here this fortnight is not a shock. Factor in difficulty of traveling from overseas is another reason Ashe is Fernandez territory.

Raducanu gets the early break! The Brit has shown she means business. Cross court returns, hard, deep hits to the back of the court and the willingness to take control of each point has helped her go 2-0 up.

Fernandez has started to look more settled but needs to stay focused. Less double faults and less unforced errors will be key to her getting back into the match.

Down 40-15 to hold her serve, Leylah is already showing unbelievable poise about 10 points into the match. Fernandez has an extremely diverse game: forehand winners, a very solid serve, speed, precision and a nice drop shot. She got it back to deuce, went down, brought it back to deuce, double faulted, brought it back to deuce, went up, brought it down to deuce, went back up, went back down to deuce, over-hit a backhand on a 12-shot rally to go down, and finally lost the game. It’s 2-0 in the first set and I’m TIRED, PEOPLE. 15 minutes in.

For what it’s worth, it’s VERY obvious that the crowd is much louder (and dressed to the nines for) Leylah. Canada has far fewer COVID-related travel restrictions than the UK right now, as mentioned on ESPN.

The atmosphere in New York is really coming through the TV. Millions of new Raducanu fans will be staying up late to watch this.

It’s amazing that the match is accessible for free in England — many young girls are about to watch history be made.

Good luck to both Fernandez and Raducanu!

The crowd is on fire. Both women looked extremely focused. We have two champions here today no matter what happens. Sure nobody saw this coming but now we’re here.

On the broadcast they just said that it’s « twice as loud » for Fernandez as it is for Raducanu. Expecting that to be a factor but pay attention to that first break. Whoever gets it (and however fast it comes), that will be the true difference maker.

What’s been supremely remarkable here in the last 48 hours is just how fired up the crowd and all three countries have been for these two young women. In both Canada and the UK, these ladies are true sources of inspiration and national pride. The novelty of their age and rankings is the cherry on top.

Sprinkle in 18+ months of a terrifying global pandemic, the 20-year anniversary of 9/11 and a packed house and you’ve got a cocktail of emotion here at Flushing Meadows.

Emma Raducanu has gone from qualifier to favorite in the final of the US Open. Raducanu is -175 against Leylah Fernandez, who is at +150 on BetMGM.

Both teenagers were incredible long shots going into the tournament. Raducanu was 250-1 while Fernandez was 150-1. Not many people will be able to cash in those tickets though Neither player had even 1% of the tickets at BetMGM before the tournament.

Contrast that to the men’s side, where three of the biggest favorites, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, all made it to the semifinals.

Around 10 minutes to go until the women’s final is underway and I am thoroughly excited!

Will Raducanu’s top spin and quick feet help her win her first Gram Slam? She did beat Fernandez the last time they played each other.

Raducanu won in straight sets in the second round of the girl’s singles at Wimbledon three years ago.

Talk about athleticism — my hat is way off.

A few things I’ll be watching:

On the tennis side:

• Emma hasn’t lost a single set on her way to the final. If you’ve ever played tennis before you know how mental this game is and not just because you’re all alone out there. It’s also a game of momentum and when you have it, your entire game comes together. You start hitting shots you didn’t know you could hit. Like you drank Space Jam secret stuff. They’re both on a high coming into this match but Raducanu simply hasn’t been down since before she started her run from qualifying.
• Leylah Fernandez is left-handed, which doesn’t give her an advantage in its own right but could shake Raducanu’s comfort and confidence. With only three sets on the women’s side, you theoretically only have three break games in the first set to figure it out. That alone could give her an advantage.
• In the semifinal, those Raducanu backhand winners were beyond fierce. Fun to watch. It’s feeling more and more like the fewer big matches you play, the less likely you are to understand the big stage (and thus falter on it). In this case, they’re both newcomers.
• Leylah’s protection of the baseline was just ridiculous in that semi-final. Sabalenka has so much power and Leylah just ate her up by playing Canadian Night’s Watch. Fun to watch, especially for such a youngster. 4 deciding sets in a row now won for Leylah.

On the narrative side:

• Raducanu’s rise has been remarkable and not just by tennis standards. We’re watching a David vs. Goliath surge here. This is a super, duper star. And if nobody had told you yet, she’s 18. I did not think she was going to be consistent enough to go this far this early in her career and it still worries me slightly that she hasn’t faced any of the big hitters with regularity. Fernandez won’t be that test for her but it very much feels like she’s here to stay.
• The story of Leylah Fernandez’s family is wild. Her superstitious father will not be there but simply because he doesn’t want to jinx it. Look for ESPN to lean into Canada, her ranking, her family and more.
• The attention on both players’ age and their high rankings has dominated the coverage here in the US. With Novak Djokovic going for the calendar slam and the relative lack of competition on the men’s side, it’s refreshing as always to see some variety on the women’s side. We wrote that the women’s side was a ‘complete tossup’ ahead of the tournament, a similar sentiment across the media for the entire 2021 season. Ash Barty and Naomi Osaka are the WTA’s two most consistent players but both lost prior to the Quarterfinals this season.

Lastly, the prize money for today’s winner? $2.5M.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!

Krawczyk and Salisbury fought hard and they deserve the title. A nail-biting first set followed by a more convincing second set has allowed them to show their composure and chemistry. 7-5, 6-2. Congrats to both!

Salisbury won the men’s double this year and Krawczyk won three of four Grand Slams at mixed doubles during the calendar year. A really special moment for these players.

Now it’s over to you Raducanu…

Robin Montgomery takes the girls singles title. Don’t you dare forget that name.

ESPN with an emotional story in between sets of the mixed doubles final. Alexandra Stevenson is courtside for ESPN at the mixed doubles final.

Raducanu might not be the only British player to win a US Open title!

Britain’s Joe Salisbury is currently playing in the mixed doubles final with America’s Desirae Krawczyk. They won they first set 7-5 in what has been a thrilling match to watch so far.

I’m a huge fan of both players. I’ve seen a lot more of Fernandez and LOVE her game. I remember being eager to watch her play during the Canadian Open — because they televised a ton of the tournament – but she lost in the first round in Montreal to a qualifier. An amazing story no matter who wins.

Raducanu will have millions of unexpected fans behind her tonight. Fans are eager to see another British tennis player succeed after Andy Murray won the last Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2016.

You have the country behind you Emma!

I know it’s sort of lame and a little presumptuous as far as global TV audiences go but I’m a sucker for these graphics. Tennis has had its issues with diversity and inclusion for many many years and there’s a huge mountain to climb still. The last decade or so has seen a great evolution though and I’m feeling optimistic about the future.

Let’s just say the women’s final portion of the question is a lot more challenging.

Women cadets from West Point will unfurl the flag today at Flushing Meadows.

No matter who you are, where you were born, where you’re from or how you identify — take care of yourselves today.