"My only regret about the US Open final is I didn’t cry earlier" - Novak Djokovic

In a recent interview with L'Equipe, Novak Djokovic opened up about his heartbreaking loss to Daniil Medvedev in the final of this year's US Open. The Serb said the overwhelming support he received from the Arthur Ashe crowd caught him off guard and may have impacted his performance.

Having won the first three Grand Slam titles of the year, the World No. 1 was on course for a historic Calendar Slam in New York. But he fell at the final hurdle, losing to Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Djokovic generally isn't the player the public roots for in big matches, but considering the magnitude of history on the line, the New York crowd was firmly behind him. The Serb admitted he was not prepared for such a reception.

“When I stepped onto the court for the US Open final, I was overwhelmed with the crowd support. I’m not usually the crowd favorite in big matches. I wasn’t prepared for such a reception. It caught me off guard. I had a different emotional response that maybe affected my game,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic admitted he regretted not letting out his emotions much earlier. The Serb said that an emotional release may not have changed the result of the match, but it would have allowed him to play more freely.

“My only regret about the US Open final is I didn’t cry earlier. I should have let go of all these mixed emotions inside of me earlier. I’m not saying I would have won the match. Daniil was much better on the day. But the action of crying liberated me - just a little too late,” he said.

"In my life and in my career, I try not to find excuses” - Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic at the 2021 US Open.

During the interview, Novak Djokovic revealed that he had planned a dinner for his entire team after the US Open final. But the loss left him devastated and he didn't want to go.

However, he disclosed that a chat with Monica Seles helped him clear his mind and cheer up.

“I had a nice team dinner planned for after the US Open final. I was so emotionally wrecked that I didn’t want to go. But everyone cheered me up and I went. Monica Seles called me crying. It ended up being quite a long, emotional night - it eased my mind,” he said.

Djokovic also said he felt he would have been better prepared for the US Open had he skipped the Tokyo Olympics. But at the same time, the Serb said he does not like dwelling on "what-if" scenarios and finding excuses.

“One thing’s for sure - I would have been better prepared for the US Open had I skipped the Olympics. But I don’t regret going. I don’t like ‘what if’s’. In my life and in my career, I try not to find excuses.”

Despite failing to complete the Calendar Slam and secure a gold medal in the Olympics, 2021 was arguably Djokovic's best-ever season. The Serb said the support he gained over the course of the season made the losses much more bearable.

“Even with painful losses in the second half of the season, I felt the love and support of so many people. It brought me a lot of positivity. Looking back on 2021, this was one of my personal highlights. I’m choosing to focus on that rather than on those losses.”