c/o Garrett Ellwood/USTA

For better or worse, Novak Djokovic is undeniably the king of men’s tennis. Last Sunday, Sept. 10, the Serbian lifted the U.S. Open trophy to raucous applause at Arthur Ashe Stadium after besting Daniil Medvedev in a straight sets win 6–3, 7–6(5), 6–3. The victory puts him at a record-breaking 24 Grand Slams—more than any man or woman in the Open Era.

Djokovic won the first set in under 45 minutes with a masterful combination of his usual brilliance from the baseline and a variety of serve-and-volley and strong net play. A back-and-forth second set delivered some of the best moments of the match as Djokovic saved a set point and won in the tiebreak after a grueling 104 minutes. And, after an early break in the third, the Serbian’s fifth U.S. Open was all but sealed.

In capturing his 24th Grand Slam and third of the year, Djokovic further strengthened his case as the greatest tennis player of all time. This title puts him one ahead of Serena Williams, four ahead of Roger Federer, and two ahead of Rafael Nadal—whom he passed earlier this year to reach the most men’s Grand Slams ever. Only Margaret Court—who partially competed before the Open Era, beginning in 1968 when professional players were then allowed to compete in Grand Slams—is on par with Djokovic at 24.

The Serbian’s dominance at this stage of his career is historic. While many of the dominant players of his era have slowed down towards the end of their careers, facing injuries, losing energy, or just not being able to compete with younger players on the tour, not only has Djokovic, 36, not slowed down, but it seems he’s still getting better. Comparatively, Nadal, 37, has announced 2024 will be the last year of his career, while Djokovic is showing barely any signs of decline.

Not only is he not slowing down, but he’s been nearly unbeatable in Grand Slam play all year. In the four Slams this year, totaling 28 matches, he only lost once, which took a masterful five-set performance from Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. For the second time in three years, Djokovic captured three of the four Grand Slams, and each time finished just one match away from getting all four.

In 2021, Djokovic displayed a similar level of dominance, but in that year’s U.S. Open final, he was staring down historical pressure. He’d won all three Grand Slams prior and was standing one match away from completing the first calendar slam—when a player wins all four Grand Slams in one calendar year—in modern men’s singles history. Facing Medvedev in the final, in a surprising turn of events, Djokovic lost in straight sets and notably sobbed in his chair at the end of the match.

To understand the arc of Djokovic’s rise to the top of tennis fandom, you have to look at the dynamic that’s been at play for most of his career. Up until recently, Djokovic has never been a crowd favorite, especially competing year after year with beloved stars like Federer and Nadal. So to look back two years ago in the U.S. Open final, as Djokovic showed vulnerability in an emotional loss, he felt the New York City crowd come behind him in a way that had never happened before. 

Jumping back to last Sunday, with no Federer or Nadal in the mix this season, and with Djokovic once again facing the man who put a stop to his almost historic year in 2021, the fans in Queens seemed to be in full force behind the Serbian. Additionally, he hadn’t won the tournament since 2018, so it made it all the sweeter when he completed his redemption, beating the Russian the same way he had been beaten two years prior.

Though Djokovic stood on the podium after his win to thunderous applause, the crowd’s support was notably less energetic and excited than the day before when 19-year-old American Coco Gauff won the women’s singles title. While the women have had many American champions at the U.S. Open like the Williams sisters, Sloane Stephens, and Gauff, the men have had an absence of elite American play at the tournament for almost two decades. Even the most loved crowd favorites from other countries don’t compare to an American competing for the title.

Ironically, the last American man to win the U.S. Open, or any Grand Slam for that matter, was standing on the dais on Sunday—but not as the champion.

Andy Roddick stood on stage to hand Djokovic his trophy, something that hadn’t been lifted by an American man since he last did it in 2003. While the New York City crowd showered Djokovic with rousing applause, that 20-year emptiness was present. 

This drought of great American men’s players seems to be coming to an end though, as promising young stars notably have been emerging in recent tournaments. Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old from Atlanta, had the best performance of his professional career at this U.S. Open, making it to the semifinals before he lost to Djokovic. Other American players like Taylor Fritz, who also lost to Djokovic in the quarterfinals, and Frances Tiafoe, who lost in the semifinal of last year’s US Open, have been rising through the ranks in recent years, sitting at eighth and 11th in the world, respectively. Fritz, from San Diego, and Tiafoe, from just outside D.C., are both 25 and have proven themselves against some of the best players in the world. While an American man still hasn’t won a Grand Slam in 20 years, the years of fans in Queens wishing that an American champion would be lifting the trophy rather than presenting it may be coming to an end soon.

Still, the hope of the next generation of young American stars and the reality of Djokovic’s tennis mortality haven’t stopped his dominance yet. Only time will tell how much more the Serbian has left in the tank, but for now, appreciate it or not, Novak Djokovic is the undeniable men’s champion of tennis in 2023.

Isaac Janiak Stein can be reached at ijaniakstein@wesleyan.edu