"2 years ago, I was like 'what a great anniversary gift for my wife', and pretty s**t one today" - Daniil Medvedev jokes after losing US Open final
Daniil Medvedev has joked about not being able to give his wife a gift on their wedding anniversary after losing the US Open final.
The Russian reached the title clash at the New York Major for the third time in his career by beating Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. He then faced Novak Djokovic in what was a rematch of the 2021 final.
However, unlike that match two years ago, Medvedev ended up on the losing side as the Serb beat him 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to win his 24th Grand Slam title.
The US Open final normally falls around the same time as the Russian's wedding day (September 12, 2018), and he joked about giving his wife Daria an anniversary present by winning the tournament in 2021.
Medvedev joked about the same during his runner-up speech, claiming that he gave his wife a " pretty s**t" anniversary gift this time around.
"I was here two years ago when I won and I was like 'What a great anniversary gift for my wife and stuff like this', and pretty s**t one today. It's funny because dates usually change. But today is Sunday again, the anniversary so I thought like come on, 'Do it one more time but yeah,'” Medvedev said.
Novak Djokovic leads 10-5 in the head-to-head against Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic locked horns for the 15th time when they met in the US Open final. The head-to-head between the two currently stands 10-5 in the Serb's favor.
Their very first meeting came in a Davis Cup World Group tie between Serbia and Russia where Djokovic was leading 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 before Medvedev retired due to an injury.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion won the first three matches between the two before the Russian beat him 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Monte-Carlo Masters. That year, Medvedev also beat Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The Russian eventually went on to win the tournament, his first at the Masters 1000 level.
The two have met one another in four Grand Slam fixtures, with Djokovic winning three of them. The only time Medvedev won a Major fixture against the Serb was in the 2021 US Open final.
Following his defeat in Flushing Meadows this year, the Russian is next scheduled to compete at the Zhuhai Championships, which starts on September 18.