After
his
4-6,
6-2,
6-4,
4-6,
6-2
defeat
of
Alexander
Zverev
in
the
semi-finals
Friday,
a
win
in
the
final
against
Daniil
Medvedev
would
make
Djokovic
the
first
player
since
Rod
Laver
in
1969
to
win
all
four
majors
in
the
same
year.

It
would
also
give
him
a
record
21st
grand
slam
title,
breaking
the
mark
he
shares
with
Roger
Federer
and
Rafael
Nadal.

Two
astonishing
achievements,
neither
of
which
is
complete
just
yet,
as
Djokovic
reminded
observers
by
invoking
a
famous
Kobe
Bryant
line.

“Job
is
not
done,”
Djokovic
said.
“Excitement
is
there.
Motivation
is
there,
without
a
doubt.
Probably
more
than
ever.
But
I
have
one
more
to
go.”

US
Open
2021:
Djokovic
one
win
away
from
history

Djokovic
did
cross
one
statistical
milestone
off
the
list
with
Friday’s
win.
He
has
now
reached
his
31st
grand
slam
final,
equalling
Roger
Federer’s
record.

Since
falling
to
Kei
Nishikori
in
the
last
four
at
the
2014
US
Open,
Djokovic
is
17-1
in
grand
slam
semis.

Zverev
lauded
Djokovic
for
his
mental
toughness
as
the
world
number
one
improved
to
36-10
in
five-set
matches,
but
the
top
seed
said
he
still
has
to
fight
himself
to
stay
in
control
in
high-pressure
situations.

“It’s
kind
of
a
hurricane,
a
tornado,
of
emotions
that
you’re
going
through
in
a
sequence
of
one
set
or
even
one
point,”
Djokovic
said.
“You
are
by
yourself
on
the
court,
so
there
is
no
escape.

“You’ve
got
to
find
a
way.
And
I
think,
over
the
years,
I
have
managed
to
develop
a
formula
that
works
for
me.
…

“Tennis
is
a
very
beautiful
sport
but
a
very
demanding
sport
and
you’ve
got
to
have
mind
and
body
balanced
at
all
times
if
you
want
to
compete
at
the
highest
level
for
the
biggest
trophies.”

Few
can
match
him
on
that
stage
and
he
will
attempt
to
reach
even
greater
heights
with
a
win
Sunday.

His
opponent,
the
second-seeded
Medvedev,
has
dropped
only
one
set
on
the
way
to
the
final.

Djokovic
beat
him
in
straight
sets
in
January
to
win
the
Australian
Open
and
deny
the
25-year-old
Russian
his
first
grand
slam
title.

History
will
be
on
the
line
Sunday
at
Arthur
Ashe
Stadium,
and
Djokovic
is
embracing
it.

“There’s
only
one
match
left.
…
Let’s
do
it,” he
said.
“I’m
going
to
put
my
heart
and
my
soul
and
my
body
and
my
head
into
that
one.
I’m
going
to
treat
the
next
match
like
it
is
the
last
match
of
my
career.”