by Jim Slater
NEW YORK - Novak Djokovic will attempt to win the first calendar-year men's singles Grand Slam since 1969 in Sunday's US Open final and make his case to be considered the greatest player in tennis history.
The 34-year-old Serbian world number one faces Russia's second-ranked Daniil Medvedev at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the biggest match of a career that has brought him 20 Slam trophies.
"I'm going to treat this match as it's my last one because it's arguably the most important one of my career," Djokovic said.
Djokovic will try to complete the first sweep of US, Australian and French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year since Australian legend Rod Laver managed the feat 52 years ago.
"Excitement is there," Djokovic said. "Motivation is there, without a doubt. Probably more than ever. But I have one more to go."
Laver, 83, will be in the stands to see if Djokovic can finish the fourth Slam in men's history after American Don Budge in 1938 and Laver in 1962 and 1969.
"For sure he's going to feel the pressure a little bit about it," said Medvedev. "From the other side, that's what going to make him be even better in tough moments."
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The last singles Slam overall was by Steffi Graf in 1988.
Djokovic also will be chasing his fourth US Open title after 2011, 2015 and 2018.
A victory would give him 21 major titles and for the first time put him atop the all-time Slams chase, moving one ahead of the record mark he shares with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic, 20-10 in Slam finals, leads Medvedev 5-3 in their career rivalry. Medvedev, 25, seeks his first Slam title.
"I'm sure he's going to give it all to win his first Slam," Djokovic said. "On the other side, I'll be giving it all I possibly got in the tank to win this match."
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Medvedev, the 2019 US Open runner-up, lost his only other Slam final to Djokovic at the Australian Open in February.
"I always give my best, but I feel like I didn't leave my heart on the court in Melbourne.
"That's what I'm going to try to do on Arthur Ashe. No matter the score, I'm just going to turn up the heat and try to do my best."
Djokovic, the oldest US Open finalist since Andre Agassi at 35 in 2005, would also be the oldest US Open champion since Ken Rosewall at 35 in 1970.
Djokovic has won 27 consecutive Slam matches, three shy of his all-time record streak from 2015 and 2016, when he won all four major titles in a row.
"Probably all these big matches I won, big titles over the years, have built that aura around me that players know there's a never-die spirit with me, especially when I play Grand Slams," Djokovic said. "They know that until the last shot, things can turn around."
"I am going to treat my next match like it is the last match of my career."
— ESPN (@espn) September 11, 2021
Having secured a spot in the #USOpen final, Novak Djokovic is one win away from becoming the sole leader in men's career grand slams. pic.twitter.com/EWq3IvFHd1
Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, who beat Djokovic in the Tokyo semi-finals but lost to him in the US Open semis, sees Djokovic completing the Slam.
"It's great for the sport," Zverev said. "Nobody thought anybody will do it again, what Rod Laver did. To see him have the chance on Sunday -- I do believe that he will do it -- is great."
- 'Greatest of all time' -
The German fourth seed sides with Djokovic in the greatest of all time question.
"If you look at the stats, if you look the pure game of tennis action, he's the greatest of all time. Nobody is there with him," Zverev said.
And Zverev sees Djokovic doing whatever it takes to add to that history on Sunday.
"He plays the best tennis when he needs to, which a lot of players don't," he said.
"Mentally he's the best player to ever play the game. Mentally, in the most important moments, I would rather play against anybody else but him."
AFP