The axiom that there are limits to human ability often faces its stiffest resistance in elite sport. Novak Djokovic’s men’s record-extending 24th Major singles title might set him on a path towards immortality. The straight-set victory over Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final drew him level with Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 crowns and made him the first man to win three Slams in a single year four times. Two years ago in New York, Medvedev had stopped Djokovic from completing the Grand Slam, the onerous feat of winning all four Majors in a single year. Coming into Sunday, the 27-year-old was fresh off a terrific semifinal win over tournament-favourite and top seed Carlos Alcaraz. But even at the age of 36, Djokovic showed he still had space to evolve and grow, rejigging his tactics by employing the serve-and-volley and mining every last reserve of his energy.
While generational battles are not new to men’s tennis, the fight is on in the women’s game among this era’s finest to establish a firm pecking order. Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old from the United States, threw her hat into the ring with a come-from-behind three-set victory over Aryna Sabalenka for her maiden Slam triumph. Gauff first shot to the limelight at Wimbledon 2019 when she upset Venus Williams on her main draw debut. She made good on that early promise by reaching the 2022 French Open final and subsequently breaking into the top-10. But in July this year, she appeared to have hit a trough, exiting in the first round at Wimbledon. However, with a spruced-up game and a new coach in tow (former player Brad Gilbert), she secured three of her biggest titles — Washington WTA 500, Cincinnati WTA 1000 and the US Open — in a six-week span. What stood out at Flushing Meadows was the way Gauff handled Sabalenka’s baseline barrage with her attritional play. For India, Rohan Bopanna, 43, partnering Australia’s Matthew Ebden, became the oldest man to reach a Major final (Open Era). A close loss notwithstanding, he is up to World No.7, untouched by Father Time.
