The Career Of Novak Djokovic (Part Four)

Today we have Part Four of our look at tennis great Novak Djokovic.

2016: 60 Career Titles & Ranking Points Record  

Djokovic collected his 60th career title on Doha, defeating Nadal 6–1, 6–2 in 73 minutes. He broke his own ATP ranking points record, bringing it up to 16,790.

Rivalries

Djokovic vs. Nadal

  

Djokovic and Nadal have met 47 times, an Open Era record for head-to-head meetings between players, and Djokovic currently leads 24–23. Nadal leads on grass 2–1 and clay 14–6, but Djokovic leads on hard courts 17–7. Djokovic is the first player to have at least ten match wins against Nadal and the only person to defeat Nadal seven times consecutively. The two share the record for the longest Grand Slam final match ever played, which was the 2012 Australian Open final.

In the 2011 Wimbledon final, Djokovic won in four sets, which was his first victory over Nadal in a Major. By doing so, he became the only person other than Federer to defeat Nadal in a Grand Slam tournament final. Djokovic also defeated Nadal in the 2011 US Open Final to capture his third major title of the year and fourth overall. By beating Nadal, Djokovic became the second player to defeat Nadal in more than one Grand Slam final, and the first player to beat Nadal in a Slam final on a surface other than grass . In 2012, Djokovic defeated Nadal in the Australian Open final which made Nadal the first player to lose in three consecutive Grand Slam finals.

At the 2012 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in April, Nadal finally beat Djokovic for the first time since November 2010. They had met in seven finals from January 2011 to January 2012, all of which Djokovic won. In the final at Monte Carlo, an in-form Nadal crushed Djokovic. Nadal again defeated Djokovic in the final of the Rome Masters tournament.

At the 2012 French Open, Djokovic faced Nadal in the final. For the second time in tennis history, two opposing tennis players played four consecutive Grand Slams Finals against each other. They also became the only players in history, except for Venus and Serena Williams, to have faced the same opponent in the finals of each of the four different Grand Slam events. Nadal eventually won in four sets after multiple rain delays that forced the final to be concluded on the following Monday afternoon.

In 2013, Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets in the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters to clinch his first title in Monte Carlo. This was his third clay win against Nadal. At the 2013 French Open semifinal, Nadal defeated Djokovic to up his record to 20–15 against Djokovic, and again at the 2013 Rogers Cup semi-final. On 9 September 2013, Djokovic lost to Nadal in the 2013 US Open finals in four sets. In 2014, Djokovic defeated Nadal in 3 sets at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia Masters 1000 tournament in Rome to claim his 3rd title there. At the 2014 French Open, they played in the final, with Djokovic attempting to capture the Career Grand Slam. Nadal won in four sets to capture the French Open for the ninth time. At the 2015 French Open, Djokovic finally defeated nine-time champion and five-time consecutive defending champion at Roland Garros, thus ending Nadal's 39-match win streak at the French Open. He became only the second man in history to have defeated Nadal at the tournament, and the first to do so in straight sets.

Djokovic vs. Federer 

 

Djokovic and Federer have faced each other 44 times, and they are currently tied at 22–22. They are split 4–4 on clay, on hard court Federer leads 17–16, whereas Djokovic leads on grass 2–1. Djokovic is the only player other than Nadal who has defeated Federer in consecutive Grand Slam tournament matches. Federer ended Djokovic's 41-match winning start to the 2011 season at the 2011 French Open semifinals, which many consider to be a classic match. However, he lost to Djokovic in the following year in straight sets. Djokovic played Federer in his first Major final at the 2007 US Open and lost in three sets.

Djokovic has the second-most wins against Federer . The two had three encounters at the Australian Open, which Federer won in straight sets in 2007 and Djokovic won in straight sets in the other two. The two have met five years in a row at the US Open with Federer triumphant in their first three encounters, while their last two meetings  were five-set matches in which Djokovic saved two match points before going on to win. On 6 July 2012, Djokovic lost to Federer in the Wimbledon semifinal. On 12 November 2012, Djokovic won the 2012 ATP World Tour Finals by defeating Roger Federer in straight sets in the final. The two met again during the finals of the 2014 Wimbledon Championships with Djokovic emerging victorious after a 5 set match and with the victory reclaiming the world number one spot from Nadal. Federer withdrew from the 2014 ATP World Tour final and Djokovic successfully defended his title, the first walkover in a final in the tournament’s 45-year history. In the 2015 Wimbledon Championships, despite "an extraordinary second-set tiebreaker in which Federer saved seven set points to level the match" at 1–1, Djokovic went on to claim a 3–1 victory and even the lifetime record between the two players.

Djokovic vs. Murray 

 

Djokovic and Andy Murray have met 30 times with Djokovic leading 21–9. Djokovic leads 3–0 on clay, 18–7 on hard courts, and Murray leads 2–0 on grass. The two are almost exactly the same age, with Murray being only a week older than Djokovic. They went to training camp together, and Murray won the first match they ever played as teenagers. The pair have met 13 times in finals, and Djokovic lead 7–6. Eight of the finals were ATP Masters 1000 finals, and they are tied 4–4. Their most notable match in this category was a three set thriller at the final of the 2012 Shanghai Masters, in which Murray held five championship point opportunities in the second set; however, Djokovic saved each of them, forcing a deciding set. He eventually prevailed to win his first Shanghai Masters title, ending Murray's perfect 12–0 winning streak at the event. This, and the three set match they played in Rome in 2011, were voted the ATP World Tour Match of the Year, for each respective season. They have also met in five Grand Slam Finals: The 2011 Australian Open, the 2012 US Open, the 2013 Australian Open, the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2015 Australian Open. Djokovic has won in Australia three times, but it was Murray who emerged as the victor at the US Open and Wimbledon.

Djokovic and Murray also played an almost five-hour-long semifinal match in the 2012 Australian Open, which Djokovic won 7–5 in the fifth set after Murray led 2 sets to 1. Murray and Djokovic met again in 2012 at the London 2012 Olympic Games, with Murray winning in straight sets. The two met in the final of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, where second seed Murray defeated Djokovic in straight sets, the first time since 2010 that Djokovic had failed to win a set in a Grand Slam match. Their most recent meeting was in the final of the 2015 Paris Masters, where Djokovic truimphed in two sets and became the first man to win six Masters tournaments in one season.

Djokovic vs. Wawrinka

  

In this matchup Djokovic leads 19–4, however the two have contested numerous close matches, including four five-setters at Grand Slam level. Wawrinka and Djokovic have played three consecutive Australian Open years, each match going to five sets, and a five-setter in the US Open: in the 2013 Australian Open fourth round, which Djokovic won 12–10 in a fifth set; at the 2013 US Open semifinals, which Djokovic won 6–4 in a fifth set; and at the 2014 Australian Open quarterfinals, which Wawrinka won 9–7 in a close fifth set. Wawrinka's win broke Djokovic's impressive run of 14 consecutive semifinals in Grand Slam play, ended a 28-match winning streak, and prevented Djokovic from capturing a record fifth Australian Open crown. Djokovic got revenge in the 2015 Australian Open, winning 6–0 in the fifth set, but again it went the distance. At the 2015 French Open final, Wawrinka defeated Djokovic in four sets to claim his second grand slam title. Most recently, Djokovic defeated Wawrinka at the 2015 Paris Masters. Contrary to most high profile rivalries, they have played doubles together.

Djokovic vs. Tsonga 

 

Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have met 20 times with Djokovic leading 14–6. Their first meeting was in the final of the 2008 Australian Open; Djokovic and Tsonga had defeated the top two players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in their respective semi-finals in straight sets. Djokovic won this match in 4 sets to win his first Grand Slam singles title. Tsonga then won their next four meetings, before Djokovic stopped the streak at Miami in 2009.

Their next meeting at a Grand Slam was again at the Australian Open, in the 2010 quarter-finals, exactly two years to the day since Djokovic defeated Tsonga to win his first Grand Slam singles title. However, this time it was Tsonga who prevailed, winning in five sets after Djokovic fell ill during the match. It wouldn't be until another year-and-a-half until they met again, with the stakes even higher – in the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2011, with the winner advancing to his first Wimbledon final. It was their first meeting on grass, and Djokovic prevailed in four sets to advance to his first Wimbledon final, and in the process ending the seven-and-a-half-year reign of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the top of the rankings. At the 2012 French Open, Djokovic and Tsonga met again in an important quarter-finals match, with Djokovic prevailing in five sets after more than four hours of play.

They met again two months later at the Olympics, with Djokovic winning in straight sets in the quarter-finals. They met in the final of the 2012 China Open, with Djokovic once again victorious in straight sets. The pair were drawn in the same pool for the 2012 ATP World Tour Finals. Djokovic defeated Tsonga in his first  round robin matches. It was Djokovic's fifth win over Tsonga in 2012.

Their most recent Grand Slam meeting was in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2014. Djokovic won in straight sets. They met again at the Rogers Cup later in the year, but this time it would be Tsonga who would win the most lopsided match of their rivalry, with Djokovic winning just four games. Prior to this victory Tsonga had lost his last nine matches and 18 sets to Djokovic.

Part Five Coming Soon.

Tipster Street.