"Novak Djokovic had luck to have Rafael Nadal & Roger Federer, they pushed each other; But he's a born winner" - Coach Goran Ivanisevic after US Open

Novak Djokovic won his fourth US Open title on Sunday (10 September) in epic fashion, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 in three hours and 17 minutes during their championship clash.

The Serb's status as arguably the greatest player in tennis history was further solidified as he became the first player, male or female, to secure 24 Grand Slam titles in the Open Era.

To mark the special occasion, Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic spoke to the press about what has motivated the Serb all these years.

Ivanisevic asserted how Djokovic was lucky to have rivals like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who had offered plenty of resistance to the Serb before he eventually broke their duopoly. He also insisted that the 36-year-old was a "born winner", and that there were no limits to his ambitions.

"He had the luck to have a guy like Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer, they came before him, so they pushed each other. But he's a born winner. For him, when you tell him he cannot do something, it's even worse," he said. "Then he's going to show you that he can do it. It's no excuses."

The coach was effusive in his praise of Djokovic, calling his 24th Major title victory in Flushing Meadows one of the biggest achievements in sports history.

"He's one of a kind. Not too many people in this world like him in sport-wise. This is one of the biggest achievement in the sport history. We're not talking about tennis. We are talking generally in sport. He's a winner. He's the guy who is motivating himself."

"Novak Djokovic always tries to find a way how to win, how to fight, even when he's not feeling well, injured, not injured" - Goran Ivanisevic

Novak Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic pose at the Wimbledon Championships

During the press conference, Goran Ivanisevic also alluded to how Novak Djokovic has always dug deep to win the toughest of matches against all odds. The Serb's coach's words couldn't ring more true as far as the 36-year-old's performance during the men's singles final in Flushing Meadows was concerned.

"He always tries to find a way how to win, how to fight, even when he's not feeling well, injured, not injured," Ivanisevic added

Djokovic took the reins of the match from the get-go, breaking Medvedev in the second game of the match before taking the opening set 6-3. The Serb, however, soon began to tire as the match went down the wire.

In the second set, the 36-year-old's legs were cramping heavily as his Russian opponent began playing some of his best tennis. The 24-time Major winner held on, though, to take the penultimate set in an intense tiebreaker.

Medvedev, meanwhile, himself looked deflated physically in the third set, allowing the Serb to run away with a comprehensive straight-sets victory to win his third Major title of 2023.