Daniil Medvedev expressed a sense of regret after his U.S. Open final loss to Novak Djokovic on Sunday, acknowledging missed opportunities in a match where he went down 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3. Djokovic secured his 24th Grand Slam title with the victory.
In a post-match interview, Medvedev spoke candidly about his feelings, particularly focusing on a critical moment in the second set when he had a chance to level the match but failed to capitalize.
“Regrets, for sure,” he admitted to reporters. “The second set was the best set I played, and I didn’t win it. So that’s why I kind of, I would say, it’s normal that the match went that way because in the first and third sets, he was kind of better, and not much to say. If I would have won the second set, maybe it could have been a different game.”
Medvedev’s journey to the U.S. Open final had its challenges, with a bumpy run leading up to the tournament. He withdrew from the Washington event due to injury and exited in the third round in Cincinnati. This lackluster lead-up had raised doubts about his ability to replicate his successful 2021 campaign on the U.S. hardcourt.
Despite the odds, Medvedev found his rhythm in New York, progressing through the tournament draw and ultimately defeating top seed Carlos Alcaraz in a hard-fought semi-final. However, he acknowledged that he had not been in peak condition since a grueling four-set battle against Alex de Minaur in the fourth round.
“Sometimes in a Grand Slam, you’re not going to feel 100%, and you may still win the whole thing,” Medvedev reflected. “For sure, physically, I would have liked to come into this match in better condition. But when you play against someone like Carlos in the semi-finals, you know that it’s going to be a tough physical challenge. So there was no other choice, and you still want to win. I just had to be better physically, mentally, and in terms of my tennis.”
