By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 7, 2021
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic rallied past No. 2 Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 for his sixth Paris title and record 37th Masters crown.
Photo credit: Rolex Paris Masters Facebook
Stranded behind the baseline like a lost tourist, Novak Djokovic watched another Daniil Medvedev blast blur past.
Staring down a one-set deficit in a pressure-packed Paris final, Djokovic flipped the script with savvy forward thinking transforming a blockbuster showdown into restorative rush hour.
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Showing his all-court skills, Djokovic deployed the serve-and-volley masterfully dethroning defending champion Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to capture his sixth Rolex Paris Masters championship and record 37th Masters 1000 crown.
Seven weeks ago, Medvedev shattered Djokovic’s dreams of the calendar Grand Slam steamrolling the weary Serbian 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the US Open final.
Today, a resilient Djokovic avenged that loss with the art of the comeback—and a smooth serve-and-volley attack that would make former coach Boris Becker smile with pride. Djokovic won 25 of 33 trips to net, displacing Medvedev with the wide serve to clear court space for winning volleys. It is Djokovic's fifth title of the season as he improved to 48-6 in what may well be a prelude to another showdown between the pair at the ATP Finals in Turin.
A day after Djokovic clinched a historic seventh year-end world No. 1 to break the record he shared with his hero, Pete Sampras, the Serbian took sole possession of the all-time Masters title record he had held with rival Rafa Nadal.
This was the third clash between the world’s top two this season—following Djokovic’s straight-sets sweep in the Australian Open final and Medvedev’s maiden major win in New York—and proved to the be the most dynamic and dramatic match between the pair. Physical rallies, dueling drop shots, down the line strikes and some fine net play popped during this 10th meeting between the pair.
Medvedev was 19-1 indoors since the start of the 2020 Paris Masters, but Djokovic played mix master to unsettle the defending champion.
“You can’t go through him—I’m not going to reveal the tactics—but you have to find a controlled aggression,” Djokovic told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj in his post-match interview. “You can’t be too aggressive because then you’re just gonna lose the match yourself with unforced errors.
"You have to find a way to play the right shots at the right time—also make him play, make him come in—it’s really a variety that wins matches against him.
“Much easier said than done—trust me—on court. We both suffered some grueling rallies but this is what tennis is all about: No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the world playing the finals of the biggest events of the world in front of a packed stadium in a city of tennis, it’s amazing. It was a great atmosphere.”
There was an electric buzz in the building for the second Rolex Paris Masters final between the world’s top two—No. 1 Stefan Edberg was level at 3-3 vs. No. 2 Boris Becker when the German retired from the 1990 final—began with a couple of extended exchanges.
Medvedev hooked a backhand pass for triple break point in the opening game. Djokovic denied the first two but bumped a backhand drop shot attempt into net as the Russian broke to open. Striking cleanly, Medvedev did not commit an unforced error extending to 2-0, while Djokovic committed six unforced errors, most into the net, through two games.
The top seed found his rhythm serving-and-volleying to hold at love. Djokovic won eight straight points with successive love games leveling after four games.
The five-time champion wasn’t winning many second serve points and Medvedev made him pay with his second triple break point chance of the set. Djokovic saved two but played a tame drop shot and Medvedev was all over it with the re-drop winner breaking for 4-3.
Tennis is all about adjustments, but Medvedev forces Djokovic to make more adjustments than most.
Initially, that proved problematic for the Serbian, who committed four times as many errors—16 to 4—in the opening set and tried to shorten points playing closer to the lines, carving the drop shot and even opting for the serve-and-volley.
None of it fazed Medvedev who whipped the wide serve sealing the 41-minute opening set—his fourth straight 6-4 set over the world No. 1 after his 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win in the US Open final.
Medvedev more than doubled Djokovic in rallies that exceeded nine shots winning nine of the 13 those extended rallies in the opening set.
Seeking to reset, Djokovic started the second set on a six-point spree lifting a volley lob winner for love-30. Medvedev withstood the stress holding with a slick drop-shot winner to level after two games.
Delving into lock-down defense mode, Djokovic repelled everything the Russian ripped eliciting successive errors to break first for a 3-1 second set lead as French fans erupted in support.
Responding to the roars, Djokovic thumped his second ace down the T extending to 4-1.
Serving for the second set, Djokovic carved a slider ace out wide to open. Djokovic netted a low forehand volley to face break point. Undaunted, Djokovic came right back with the serve and volley flicking a fine volley winner to erase break point.
The Serbian drew his opponent forward with a backhand drop shot. Medvedev caught up to it then guessed right blocking back a volley winner for a third break point. Djokovic curled a crosscourt forehand to save it and deployed the serve and volley successfully again for set point. Medvedev snuffed it out and saved a second set point with a backhand down the line.
Emulating his tennis hero, Pete Sampras, Djokovic again unleashed another slick serve and volley then slashed his fifth ace down the middle ending a near 12-minute hold to force a final set after 90 minutes of physical play.
One of the sport’s premier baseliners showed superb transition skills: Djokovic won 14 of 17 net approaches in the second set. Through two sets, Djokovic won 22 of 28 net points.
Afterward, Djokovic revealed he studied the video of his US Open loss to try to better read the Russian’s toss—and realized Medvedev’s deep return positioning makes him vulnerable to the wide serve and volley. That was the tactic Nadal used in the final set of his 2019 US Open final win over Medvedev.
“It's obvious that’s one of the tactical plans against him because he stands far back in the court,” Djokovic said. “So you try to open the court with some wide serves and come in.
“Again, you still have to play some half volleys, some very low first volleys, but you have kind of the whole court to play with so that was one of the, I guess, strategies try to mix it up.”
Evoking former coach Becker, Djokovic took a tumble dive lunging for a volley in the fourth game of the decider. Offering a thumbs-up to signal he was okay, Djokovic came right back knifing a sharp volley winner to even the set at 2-2.
The pair produced high quality exchanges then Djokovic drilled a backhand down the line drawing an errant replay to break for 3-2.
The five-time champion threw down his third love hold to consolidate.
By then, Medvedev’s blue Lacoste polo shirt was soaked with sweat and his forehand was starting to leak. The Russian jerked a forehand wide for break point then slapped a flat forehand into net ceding the double break and 5-2 lead to the world No. 1 and belting a ball into the crowd in frustration.
Still, stress spiked again as Djokovic double faulted to go down double break point. Medvedev poked a backhand winner of a net-cord regaining one service break in the eighth game.
The second seed slapped a sitter forehand into net to face championship point.
In the ensuing 26-shot rally, Djokovic opened the court with a backhand bolt down the line then flashed a diagonal forehand winner into the corner sealing his sixth Paris Masters in stirring style. Djokovic celebrated in family fashion embracing wife Jelena and the couple’s two kids, Stefan and Tara.
"One of the biggest reasons why I keep on playing: I always dreamed of having my children being in the stands being old enough [to see]," Djokovic said. "This is what life is all about sharing moments with the dear ones.
"My children are my greatest success, my greatest treasure. I'm just overwhelmed with beautiful emotions having them on court today supporting me. It just brings love and joy ot my life."