Who’s the greatest player ever?
How about Rod Laver, the owner of two Calendar Grand Slams?
Or what about Rafa Nadal, the owner of 21 major singles titles (including Olympic Gold)?
Or what about 20-20-20-Laver?
HOW DOES 20-20-20-LAVER SOUND?
Since Novak Djokovic failed in his bid to win a Calendar Grand Slam on Sunday, I nominate the last of the three possibilities. 20-20-20-Laver sounds like a winner.
For Djokovic just to enter the conversation was a major achievement, and that was spurred by the Serbian’s bid for a Calendar Grand Slam.
Daniil Medvedev ended that conversation on Sunday, at least for now, with his straight-set 4-4-4 dismantling of Djokovic in the U.S. Open final.
DISAPPOINTING YEAR FOR NOVAK
As 2021 turned out, it was a really disappointing year for Djokovic, even though he won the year’s first three Grand Slam events. Most players would be out celebrating if they won three Grand Slams in one year.
The loss to Alexander Zverev in the Tokyo Olympics ended Novak’s Golden Grand Slam. And then Medvedev took care of the Calendar Grand Slam talk and the possibility of Djokovic breaking a 20-20-20 deadlock with Nadal and Roger Federer.
So, what’s next? I doubt that Novak is planning to skip the Australian Open in January. Even that one won’t be easy for Djokovic as a result of what has happened in late summer.
NO PICNIC DOWN UNDER FOR NOVAK
Djokovic has practically owned the Australian Open with nine titles in Melbourne, and eight of the last 11. But Medvedev and Zverev will be major obstacles for Djokovic in Melbourne, along with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Australian Open isn’t likely to be a picnic for Novak, even if Federer and Nadal skip the trip. If so, Federer and Nadal will be leaving the Australian Open in capable hands.
Things should start heating up by the quarterfinals Down Under.
By the way, Djokovic is 34 years old. That’s about the age Nadal started having trouble winning Grand Slams.
A DOMINANT VICTORY FOR THE RUSSIAN
Medvedev beat Djokovic at just about everything he tried on Sunday. Djokovic was never in the game on serving competition or powerful forehands.
Those areas belonged to the 25-year-old Russian.
And movement? On this day, Medvedev had a picnic. The 6-6 first-time Grand Slam winner was everywhere with his amazing quickness. Djokovic couldn’t put a dent in his baseline defense.
Medvedev even out-did Djokovic in the Serbian’s usually solid drop shot department, pinning even more disappointment on Novak.
Novak even caused a ball girl to change directions during the match as he swung his racket near the surface in frustration after losing a point. Later, he punished his racket by smashing it into the court and destroying it.
MEDVEDEV’S SERVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE
The key to the relatively easy win for Medvedev was his serve. He was a perfect 15-for-15 on first-serve points in the opening set.
Medvedev obviously had little trouble with his serve until he was ready to end the match. With Medvedev owning a match point at 5-2 in the third set, the crowd tried to help Djokovic. Only then when the crowd got into the act of trying to break Medvedev’s attention did he double-fault twice in a row before netting a forehand to give Djokovic the game.
But in the final game of the match, Medvedev was ready for the crowd attack, although he double-faulted another match point away before ending the match with a big serve out wide for a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Djokovic managed only to hit the bottom of the net with his backhand return.
And suddenly, the tall Russian looks like the best player in the game.
James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award as the tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspapers. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com
