To gain a sense of the magnitude of Sunday's US Open final, Novak Djokovic described it as “arguably the most important match of my career".
There's no “arguably” about it. For all the records the Serb has amassed throughout his incomparable career, victory inside Arthur Ashe Stadium against Daniil Medvedev will bring with it not one but two standout pieces of history.
Level with his great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the top of the all-time Grand Slam winners' list, Djokovic can strike out on his own with his 21st major trophy.
Given his astounding conversion rate at the Grand Slams over the last decade — Djokovic has won 19 of the past 42 majors — it has long felt inevitable he would surpass the pair. Having pulled level in his last outing at Wimbledon, he has that chance at the very first attempt.
Which leads to the other monumental milestone in Djokovic's grasp. A 45 per cent conversion rate at the Grand Slams over 10 years, that has improved to 100 per cent in 2021. The world No 1 is already in possession of the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon titles — a win at Flushing Meadows would make him just the second male player in the Open era, after Rod Laver in 1969, to win all four majors in the same season.
No wonder, then, that Djokovic is determined not to let the opportunity slip.
“I know we want to talk about the history and what’s on the line. I’m aware of it but I'm just trying to lock in to what works for me. I have my routines, I have my people. I isolate myself and surround myself to gather the necessary energy for the next battle,” he said.
“There's only one match left, all in, let's do it. I'm going to put my heart and my soul and my body and my head into that one. I am going to treat the next match like it is the last match in my career.”
Djokovic booked his place in the final with a five-set win over German fourth seed Alexander Zverev, earning a measure of revenge against the player who ended his bid for the golden Grand Slam in the Tokyo Olympics semi-finals.
It was the fourth straight match in which Djokovic had lost the first set and only once has the top seed won in straight sets at this year's US Open. But as Zverev said after the match, Djokovic is “mentally, the best player to ever play the game” and that fighting spirit has been vital in guiding the Serb past the setbacks and into the final.
“I’m glad that my opponents think of me that way,” Djokovic, 34, said. “I want them to feel that they are under extreme pressure when they play me on the big stage.”
While Djokovic has been forced to dig at times, his final opponent has enjoyed a much smoother passage to the title match and should represent the Serb's toughest challenge of the tournament.
Medvedev, the world No 2, has dropped just one set in New York and was able to dispatch his semi-final opponent, Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, in just over two hours - around 90 minutes less than it took Djokovic to beat Zverev.
Medvedev has an interesting history at Flushing Meadows having adopted, and embraced, the villain's role on his way to the final in 2019. The Russian playfully taunted the crowds throughout the rounds but saw a shift in support when he fought back from two sets down and pushed Rafael Nadal to the edge in the final.
The 25-year-old returns to the US Open final a better and more experienced player. It will be his third major final after being on the receiving end of a dominant Djokovic display at the Australian Open in February. The Russian, though, is determined to learn from those past experiences and is confident he can spoil the party.
“From my side, I will be in the history books a little bit by being the player to prevent Novak from achieving this [Grand Slam] but I don’t really care about it,” he said. “It’s something that affects him more and for sure he's going to feel the pressure a little. But that could make him even better in the tough moments.
“This is tennis. You have two players, only one of them is going to win, so let’s see what happens.”
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
Sweet%20Tooth
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE-based players
Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
