NEW YORK: US Open 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev said the victory over World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the tournament finals has given him the confidence for future events.
Medvedev scripted history as he won his first major title with an outstanding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Djokovic on Sunday (local time) in the US Open.
Medvedev also stopped the Serbian star from achieving a historical milestone of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors in one season.
The 25-year-old Russian said the win over Djokovic has become sweeter as it stopped the World No. 1 from scripting a huge feat.
"It definitely makes it sweeter. For the confidence and for my future career, knowing that I beat somebody who was 27-0 in a year in Grand Slams, I lost to him in Australia, he was going for huge history, and knowing that I managed to stop him it definitely makes it sweeter and brings me confidence for what is to come," the US Open website quoted Medvedev as saying.
Medvedev won all fifteen of his first-serve points in the opening set and rifled eight aces, never facing a break point.
Medvedev, the No. 2 seed delivered a performance for the ages, as he clinched every opportunity to notch a stirring 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win en route to his maiden Grand Slam title.
"I never said this to anybody, but I'll say it right now. For me, you are the greatest player in history," Medvedev told Djokovic during the post-match trophy ceremony.
Medvedev has now become the third Russian man to win a Grand Slam singles title, and the second to claim the US Open title.