But their team tactics didn’t work as well as they had hoped. Djokovic and Danilovic served for the second set, but they suffered a 4-2 5-3 defeat in just 45 minutes, with a shorter, fast-four scoring format being used for the mixed doubles competition.
Medvedev, who beat Djokovic to win the 2021 US Open singles title, is known for his deep return position, and he’s not too accustomed to playing doubles, so it was no surprise that the world No. 7 wanted to take advantage his weaknesses on the court.
Before stepping out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium, Djokovic spoke to ESPN and had a clear message for Medvedev. “We will expose him!” he smiled.
Four-time US Open champion Djokovic also admitted that most singles players struggled on the return in doubles.
He added: “I think [singles players] struggle mostly with the return and positioning at the net. [In singles] we normally return to the middle of the court and you start off the rally, you start off the point.
“But in doubles, if you play someone that understands how to position himself or herself at the net, you’re done, the point is finished. So you kind of have to find those angles and really be precise or maybe chip the return over the player.
“Those types of things I never practice. So I have to make those adjustments personally, also knowing when to cross, particularly when playing with Olga, trying to understand each other, because we don’t get to play often.”
Djokovic and Danilovic improved in the second set after losing the first. They broke first and had two set points on serve before dropping four games in a row to lose the match.
After advancing to the quarter-finals, Medvedev thanked Andreeva during his on-court interview. “I think we need to play the same. Very calm. I’m very grateful to Mirra that she doesn’t put pressure on me,” he said of the world No. 5.
But it wasn’t to be for the Russian team, as they lost to No. 1 seeds Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula.
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