Just when the U.S. Open was on the verge of its dream weekend, Daniil Medvedev did perhaps the most Medvedev-like thing and messed it all up.
With a stunning win over Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion and 20-year-old wunderkind of the sport, Medvedev, the game’s happy troll, playful wiseguy and unorthodox baseliner took a wrench to the popular plans to watch the next chapter of the Alcaraz’s mounting generational rivalry with Novak Djokovic.
Instead of a rematch of an epic Alcaraz-Djokovic final in the tuneup to this tournament three weeks ago, which was a rematch of the Wimbledon final in July, which was a rematch of their semifinal showdown at the French Open in June, Sunday will bring a rematch of 2021 U.