The tennis world has been captivated for years by the dominance of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—three legends whose records seem almost untouchable. For the generation that followed, the challenge was monumental: competing against these icons on the sport’s grandest stages while carving out their own legacies.
Players like Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Daniil Medvedev found themselves not only battling each other but also challenging the three greatest players of all time.
Among them, Medvedev stands out as one of the best Russian players of recent decades. A consistent presence in the ATP’s top 10, Medvedev famously secured his first and only Grand Slam title by defeating Novak Djokovic at the 2021 U.S. Open.
After the match, Medvedev delivered a heartfelt speech during the trophy presentation, where he shared his thoughts on Djokovic and declared his GOAT verdict.
Novak Djokovic holds the runner-up trophy alongside Daniil Medvedev who celebrates with the championship trophy after winning their final match of the 2021 US Open. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
“I think it’s the first time I’m so nervous giving a speech,” Medvedev said. “First of all, I want to say sorry to Novak’s fans. We all know what was at stake today, what you achieved this year (2021) and throughout your career… I’ve never said this to anybody before, but I’ll say it now: you’re the greatest tennis player in history”.
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The record that slipped away from Djokovic
During his U.S. Open victory speech, Medvedev referenced what was “at stake” that day—Djokovic’s quest to make history. A win in that final would have made Djokovic the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four Grand Slam titles in a calendar year. Djokovic had already claimed the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon in 2021, but Medvedev halted his run with a straight-sets victory, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Medvedev vs. the Big Three
As Medvedev began to make waves on the ATP Tour, his encounters with Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic became defining moments of his career. The Russian faced Federer three times but was unable to secure a victory, with Federer winning all their matches.
The rivalry with Nadal is similarly one-sided, with Nadal leading 5-1. Medvedev’s lone win came in the semifinals of the 2021 ATP Finals. Lastly, Medvedev has faced Djokovic 15 times, with the Serbian leading their head-to-head 10-5.
Despite this, Medvedev’s most iconic victory came in the 2021 U.S. Open final, where he denied Djokovic the chance to achieve a historic calendar-year Grand Slam.
