The tennis rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was the most prolific in men's tennis in the Open Era. It is widely considered by players, coaches, and pundits as among the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport.[1][2][3][4] The pair contested at least one professional match every year from 2006 to 2022, and in 2024. Nadal and Djokovic are statistically two of the most successful male players in the history of the sport.
They faced each other 60 times, including in all four major finals, with Djokovic leading 31–29 overall.[5] Djokovic leads 15–13 in finals of all levels, while Nadal leads 11–7 at the majors, including 5–4 in major finals. Nadal leads 8–2 at the French Open and 2–1 at the US Open, while Djokovic leads 2–0 at the Australian Open and 2–1 at Wimbledon. Djokovic is the only player to have beaten Nadal in all four majors. He also leads their five-set match record, at 2–1.
Of their 60 meetings, 27 matches were on hard courts with Djokovic leading 20–7, 29 on clay with Nadal leading 20–9, and 4 on grass where they are tied 2–2.
The first meeting occurred at the 2006 French Open in the quarterfinals, where Nadal prevailed after Djokovic retired with an injury in the third set; Djokovic later commented to the media that he understood what he needed to do to beat Nadal and claiming Nadal "was beatable on clay". Their first encounter in a final came at the 2007 Indian Wells Masters where Nadal won the event. Djokovic's first victory came in their third meeting against each other at the 2007 Miami Masters where he won the event.
Between 2006 and 2009, this rivalry was overshadowed by Nadal's rivalry with Roger Federer. It started to become widely recognized when the pair contested their first major final at the 2010 US Open. From March 2011 to April 2013, the pair contested eleven consecutive tournament finals, with Djokovic winning eight and Nadal three, the only duo to achieve such a feat in the Open Era.[6] It is one of two rivalries in men's tennis (the other being the Djokovic–Murray rivalry) to involve meetings in the finals of all four majors, including four consecutive finals in 2011–12, and a record 29 Masters matches. Their French Open rivalry alone consists of ten matches, an Open Era record between two players at a single tournament.
Some of their matches are considered to be classics and among the greatest matches of all time including the 2009 Madrid Masters semifinal,[7]2011 Miami Masters final,[8][9] the 2012 Australian Open final,[10] the 2013 French Open semifinal,[11]2018 Wimbledon semifinal, and the 2021 French Open semifinal.[12] Their 2012 Australian Open final has been lauded as the greatest match ever played by some long-time tennis pundits, analysts, and former players and legends of the sport.[13][14][15][16] Their 2012 Australian Open final and 2013 French Open semifinal are sometimes considered the best hard-court and clay-court matches of all time respectively.[17] The ATP Tour listed the rivalry as the third-greatest of the 2000s decade, despite only starting in 2006.[18]
Their first match was at the 2006 French Open, which Nadal won in straight sets. Their last match was at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which Djokovic won in straight sets.
History
Nadal on the podium after winning the 2006 French Open, his second major.Djokovic celebrating in Belgrade after winning his first major, in 2008.
2006
The first meeting between the two was in the quarterfinals at the French Open. The victory went to Nadal via a retirement from Djokovic after Nadal took the first two sets.[19]
2007
In 2007, the pair met seven times, Nadal winning five of them.
The first encounter came in the final of the Indian Wells Masters. This was Djokovic's first Masters final whereas Nadal was bidding for his 7th title. Nadal won the match.[20] Djokovic, however, got his revenge the following week, defeating Nadal for the first time, in the quarterfinals of the Miami Masters.[21]
The pair met twice during the summer clay-court season, with Nadal continuing his dominance on clay. He defeated Djokovic en route to the title in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters.[22] Similarly, Nadal defeated Djokovic in the semifinals of the French Open a month later, in Djokovic's first major semifinal.[23] They then met for the first time on grass in the semifinals of Wimbledon. After splitting the first two sets, Djokovic retired from the match due to a foot injury.[24]
At the Canada Masters, Djokovic scored his second victory over Nadal, defeating the Spaniard in the semifinals en route to his second Masters title.[25]
The final encounter between the two in 2007 was in the round robin phase Tennis Masters Cup, with Nadal emerging victorious.[26]
2008
Djokovic and Nadal met six times in 2008, with Nadal winning four of their encounters.
Nadal defeated Djokovic in the semifinals of the Hamburg Masters.[28] In their third consecutive meeting at the French Open, a dominant Nadal defeated Djokovic in the semifinals en route to his fourth consecutive French Open title.
Next, they met in the final at the Queen's Club in London, where Nadal won his first grass-court title over Djokovic 7–6, 7–6.[29]
In their fifth encounter of the year at the Cincinnati Masters, Djokovic defeated Nadal in the semifinals.[30]
The sixth and final battle of the year came at the Beijing Olympics in the semifinals. Nadal won the match and went on to win the gold medal, while Djokovic later secured the bronze.
2009
They met seven times in 2009. Nadal won their first four encounters, while Djokovic won the last three.
The pair met several times on clay and matches involving them became the highlights of the clay-court season. The first and only meeting to date in the Davis Cup happened in the first round of the World Group in the fourth rubber, which Nadal won to clinch the tie for Spain. They then met for the first time in a clay-court final at the Monte Carlo Masters, with Nadal winning a closely contested three-setter and his fifth consecutive Monte-Carlo title.[31] With his world No. 3 ranking at risk, Djokovic sought to defend his title at the Rome Masters. However, he lost to Nadal in straight sets in the final.[32]
They then met for a third consecutive Masters tournament on clay, in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters. Nadal won a grueling encounter, saving three match points in the process.[33] The match, at 4 hours and 3 minutes, was the longest three-set singles match on the ATP Tour in the Open Era (later surpassed by the Olympic semifinal between Roger Federer and Juan Martín del Potro in 2012).[34] The match was voted the best match of the year by fans and critics alike.
During the US Open series, Djokovic defeated Nadal for the first time that year at the Cincinnati Masters.[35] Djokovic then won his first Masters title of the year, defeating Nadal in the semifinals of the Paris Masters.[36] The pair then had their final meeting of the year at the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Djokovic won the match, going 2–1 in the round robin phase.[37]
2010
They met twice in 2010, and Nadal won both encounters.
Djokovic and Nadal faced off for the first time in a major final at the US Open. Nadal won the match in four sets, thus becoming the youngest player in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam. The match lasted 3 hours and 43 minutes.[38]
Their second encounter came during the round-robin stage of the ATP World Tour Finals, where Nadal beat Djokovic in straight sets.[39]
2011
The rivalry shifted in Djokovic's favor this season. The pair met six times, all in finals, with Djokovic winning all six encounters, including two major finals.
Coming into their first encounter of the year at the Indian Wells Masters, Djokovic was undefeated for the season and continued his streak by beating Nadal to win his second Indian Wells title.[40]
Two weeks later, the pair met again in the finals of the Miami Masters with Djokovic winning in three sets.[41]
Djokovic and Nadal clashed twice during the clay-court spring. In the final of the Madrid Masters, Djokovic scored his first-ever victory over Nadal on clay, in straight sets.[42] He managed the same feat at the Rome Masters, defeating Nadal in straight sets.[43]
Djokovic and Nadal met in a final for the fifth time of the season at Wimbledon, arguably their biggest encounter of the year. In a 2-hour 28 minute contest, Djokovic overcame defending champion Nadal in four sets for his first Wimbledon title.[44]
They met for a second consecutive major final at the US Open, a rematch of the final from the previous year, in which Nadal had prevailed. Djokovic won his third major of the year, overcoming Nadal again in four sets.[45]
2012
The pair met four times, all in finals, with Nadal winning three of the four encounters and Djokovic winning only one, which was a major final.
Djokovic won the 2012 Australian Open final after an epic five-set battle against Nadal. The match lasted 5 hours 53 minutes, the longest major final in the Open Era. At the end of the match, both players were so exhausted they could not stand for the trophy presentation. Nadal called it "the greatest loss in his career" and "the best match he ever played". Djokovic said it was a moment he would never forget, and considered it a career-defining victory.[46]
Djokovic and Nadal met again in the 2012 Monte–Carlo Masters final. This time, Nadal won his eighth consecutive title after defeating Djokovic in straight sets, ending a seven-match loss streak to Djokovic.
The pair met again in the 2012 Rome Masters final, where Nadal defeated the defending champion Djokovic in straight sets to regain the trophy he had won five times before.
The fourth battle of the year came at the 2012 French Open final. For only the second time in tennis history (after Serena and Venus Williams between the 2002 French Open and the 2003 Australian Open), two opposing tennis players played four consecutive major finals against each other. This was a match of historic proportions as either Nadal would break Björn Borg's record of six French Open titles, or Djokovic would become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four majors in a row. Nadal eventually emerged victorious after three consecutive losses in major finals, prevailing in four sets after multiple rain delays that forced the final to be concluded on the following Monday afternoon. With this victory, Nadal became the most successful male player at the French Open, winning seven French Open titles.[47]
2013
The pair met six times, with three victories each.
Djokovic and Nadal contested the Monte Carlo final for the third time, the twelfth time in the last thirteen occasions in which they met in a championship match.[48] Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets to end the latter's eight-year reign at the tournament.[49]
At the 2013 French Open Nadal came in as the seven-time champion and was drawn in the same half as Djokovic, due to his third seed. Nadal won the tournament after beating Djokovic in the semifinal and David Ferrer in the final. His semifinal clash with Djokovic was widely considered one of the greatest clay court matches ever played. Nadal was two points away from victory in the fourth set, but was denied by Djokovic and taken to a fifth set. There he went down a break, 4–2, only to break back and ultimately triumph 9–7 for a 4-hour, 37-minute victory. It was a unique encounter in that it was almost the mirror opposite[50] of the almost six-hour 2012 Australian Open final they contested where Djokovic led Nadal 2–1 sets and was two points away from victory in the fourth set, only for Nadal to come back and win the fourth set in a tiebreak and go up a break in the fifth set. In exactly the same fashion the player leading by a break in the final set committed an uncharacteristic error (Nadal missed an easy backhand pass at 30–15, 4–2 in the fifth in Melbourne, while Djokovic ran into the net after hitting a what would have been a clean winner at 4–3 in the fifth in Paris), only to spark a momentum shift for their opponent to break back and ultimately win the match. Nadal suggested that it was almost "poetic justice" that he won this match after losing their epic encounter in Australia.[51] This was only the second time Nadal had been pushed to five sets at the French Open (the first being against John Isner in the first round of the 2011 French Open), and he remains unbeaten in five-set encounters on clay.
Djokovic and Nadal met again at the Montreal Masters semifinals, with Nadal prevailing in three sets. Nadal would then go on to win the title, marking his 25th ATP Masters championship. The US Open final saw a third Nadal-Djokovic matchup in four years, which Nadal took in four sets. The match showed Nadal's fighting spirit, as he clawed down from 0–2 at a set apiece, and from 4–4, 0–40 on his own serve. He would take the title to beat Djokovic for the sixth time out of their seven most recent meetings.
The two players faced again in the China Open final with Djokovic winning in straight sets; however, by reaching the final, Nadal retook the world No. 1 ranking from Djokovic. They met again in the championship match of the ATP Finals, where Djokovic again won in straight sets, winning his third year-end championship and denying Nadal his first. Nadal finished 2013 as world No. 1, with Djokovic as world No. 2, having won 24 consecutive matches after losing the US Open final to Nadal. Their domination in 2013 together was also apparent in the year-end rankings: together, they amassed 25,290 points, more than the numbers 3 to 7 combined.
2014
In 2014, the pair met three times, all in finals, with Djokovic winning the first two encounters and Nadal winning the last one. Djokovic started by beating Nadal in the final of the Miami Open in straight sets, and then supplanted that victory with a three-set victory over Nadal in Rome. In the process he acquired a four-match winning streak against the Spaniard, and also became the first player to amass four career clay-court wins over Nadal. Their last meeting of the year came in the final of the French Open, where Nadal won the match after dropping the opening set to Djokovic.
2015
In 2015, the pair contested four matches with Djokovic winning all four. They met at the semifinal stage of the Monte-Carlo Masters. The match was competitive with Nadal producing, by his own assessment, his best performance yet of the season. However, a very in-form Djokovic prevailed.
They then faced each other at the French Open for the fourth consecutive year, this time in the quarterfinals. There, Djokovic beat Nadal in straight sets. It was Djokovic's first victory against the Spaniard in seven meetings at the tournament, Djokovic became the only man to ever beat Nadal at all four majors, the first man to beat Nadal in straight sets in a best-of-five-set match on clay, and the only man to beat Nadal on clay six times. This was also only the second time that Nadal has been defeated at the French Open, after losing to Robin Söderling in the 2009 edition of the tournament.[52]
Nadal next played Djokovic in the China Open final, where he was comprehensively beaten by the Serb. They met yet again in the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals, in which Djokovic won in straight sets and leveled his head-to head with Nadal for the first time at 23–23.
2016
In 2016, the pair met three times with all three matches going to Djokovic. In the Doha final, Djokovic won in a convincing straight set victory to lead the head-to-head for the first time. Djokovic won again in the semifinals at Indian Wells[53] and at the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters to put the rivalry at 26–23 in Djokovic's favor with a seven-match winning streak against Nadal.
2017
A resurgent Nadal defeated an out of form Djokovic in the Madrid Open semifinals, 6–2, 6–4 to reverse a trend of losses.
2018
Nadal beat Djokovic in the semifinals at the Italian Open 7–6, 6–3 in their first match in over a year.
A resurgent Djokovic beat Nadal in a semifinal epic at Wimbledon in five sets stretched over two days, lasting over five hours.[54][55]
2019
Nadal and Djokovic faced each other in the Australian Open final with Djokovic comprehensively winning 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 in two hours and four minutes.
Nadal won his ninth Italian Open title, overcoming Djokovic to triumph at the Foro Italico 6–0, 4–6, 6-1 after two hours and 25 minutes. Nadal also broke a then-tie with Djokovic by claiming a record 34th ATP Masters crown.[56]
2020
The duo met in the ATP Cup final, their second match in a team competition (the first being at the 2009 Davis Cup). Djokovic beat Nadal 6–2, 7–6.
As the top two seeded players at the French Open, they met in the final. Nadal won in dominant fashion, 6–0, 6–2, 7–5 to claim his record-equalling 20th major title.
2021
Nadal won his tenth Italian Open title by defeating Djokovic in a three-set final, 7–5, 1–6, 6–3.
On their ninth encounter at Roland Garros, Nadal and Djokovic met in the semifinals of the French Open, in a rematch of the previous year's final. This time, Djokovic upset Nadal in four sets 3–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4), 6–2. It was his second win against Nadal at the French Open and Nadal's only third loss at Roland Garros.[57]
2022
Djokovic and Nadal met at the French Open for the third consecutive year and tenth time overall, in the quarterfinals.[58] In a four-hour battle, Nadal won in four sets, 6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–4), before going on to win the title for a 14th time. This marked the first occasion in tennis history that two players have met at a single tournament ten times.[59]
2024
After over two years of not playing each other, the pair met for a record-extending 60th time in the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympics, at the same venue as their prolific French Open rivalry.[60] Djokovic (the eventual champion) won 6–1, 6–4, in their last professional meeting.
Analysis
Commentators Dick Enberg, John McEnroe, and Mary Carillo have said that this rivalry has the potential of being the greatest rivalry in tennis history due to the number of matches already played between the two, the quality of the matches, and the age difference of only one year.[61] Both play a similar style of tennis but have differences that make their matches competitive and unique.
Djokovic is the player with the most career wins against Nadal. Likewise, Nadal is the player with the most career wins against Djokovic. Djokovic is the only player to have defeated Nadal in four clay-court finals, one of only two players to defeat Nadal at the French Open in straight sets, along with Alexander Zverev, the only player to defeat Nadal twice at the French Open, and the only player to defeat Nadal in seven consecutive finals, all of which were Big Titles.[62] Djokovic has seven straight-set wins over Nadal on clay, the most by any player,[63] and is also the only player to beat Nadal on clay in the best-of-five-sets format after dropping the opening set.[64] Djokovic is the only player to beat Nadal twice in a seven-day span, doing so in 2011 in back-to-back finals on clay at the Madrid Open and Italian Open.[65] He is also the only player to defeat Nadal in three consecutive grand slam finals (2011 Wimbledon to 2012 Australian Open) and the only player to defeat Nadal in all four grand slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open).[66] Djokovic is the only player to defeat Nadal after dropping the first set in a major final (2012 Australian Open),[67] and the only player to defeat Nadal in straight-sets in a major final (2019 Australian Open).[68] On the other hand, Nadal is the only player to defeat Djokovic in two hard court slam finals (US Open 2010 and 2013), and is also the only player to bagel Djokovic twice, at the 2019 Italian Open and 2020 French Open, both in finals. Nadal is also the only player to defeat Djokovic multiple times in multiple slam finals, in 3 French Open finals and 2 US Open finals.
The rivalry has seen dominance shift back and forth, with Nadal winning sixteen of their first twenty-three matches, followed by Djokovic beating Nadal seven times in a row, then Nadal winning six of seven, and Djokovic winning sixteen of the last twenty-three. The rivalry has also seen surface dominance from both players, with Nadal winning his first 9 clay court matches against Djokovic and Djokovic winning his last 9 hard court matches against Nadal without losing a set in any of them.
Many pundits have claimed this to be the greatest rivalry of the Open Era, given the number of records it has produced, the quality of their matches, it having the most encounters in the Open Era, and the number of classic matches it has produced that are unrivaled by any other. In 2009, it was rated the third best rivalry of the last decade, even though it only began in 2006.
Many of their matches on clay have been listed by Tennis.com as those which made Nadal the "King of Clay", such as the 2009 Madrid Open semifinal,[69] the 2012 French Open final,[70] the 2013 French Open semifinal,[71] and the 2022 French Open quarterfinal.[72]
Grand Slam tournament
Djokovic has an all-time record of 24 Grand Slam tournament titles while Nadal has 22. Both Nadal and Djokovic completed multiple Career Grand Slams—Nadal in 2010/2022 and Djokovic in 2016/2021/2023. Both have achieved a Surface Slam by winning major titles across three different surfaces in the same year—Nadal in 2010 and Djokovic in 2021. In 2015–16 Djokovic managed to be the reigning champion of all four Grand Slam tournaments at once becoming the only player in history to have done so across three different surfaces. Djokovic's Grand Slam tournament titles include 14 on hard courts, 7 on grass, and 3 on clay, while Nadal's Grand Slam tournament titles include 14 on clay, 6 on hard courts, and 2 on grass.
Djokovic holds the record for the most Masters titles with 40, while Nadal is second with 36. Nadal has won 26 on clay and 10 on hard courts. Djokovic has won 29 on hard courts and 11 on clay and is the only player to have won all 9 active Masters tournaments completing the Career Golden Masters, having done so twice. Nadal is missing two tournaments (Miami and Paris).
Djokovic has won a record 7 ATP Finals titles in total, while Nadal has not won the event, only reaching the final in 2010 and 2013. Djokovic has a 3–2 advantage over Nadal in the event and won their only meeting in the title match in 2013.
Djokovic and Nadal faced each other at the 2008 and 2024 Olympics, with each winning one match. Nadal also won their only match so far at the 2009 Davis Cup in the 1st round tie. Djokovic won in the finals of the inaugural ATP Cup in Sydney. Other ITF/ATP team events played by them are Hopman Cup by Djokovic, United Cup by both, and Laver Cup by both for Europe.
In their first epic match, Nadal prevailed over Djokovic in a marathon match in the semifinals of the 2008 Hamburg Masters.[73] The match lasted 3 hours and 3 minutes. It was their 10th match, and the first to go to a deciding set. It was a back-and-forth match: Djokovic was up 3–0 in the first set, and had chances to go 4–0 up, before Nadal rallied back and won the set 7–5. The last game lasted more than 15 minutes and Nadal needed five match points to finally prevail, with Djokovic netting an attempted drop shot on the final match point.[74][75] The match was a sign of things to come for the rivalry, with brutal baseline rallies and grinding gladiatorial matches.[75]
2009 Madrid Masters semifinal
At the time of the 2009 Madrid Open, Nadal was widely regarded as invincible on clay courts by many in the tennis world,[76][77] Djokovic emerged as one of the few who could test his dominance on it, and the closest Nadal came to losing for the first time in this tournament came in May 2009. It was the longest Masters match and semifinal in Open Era history. Djokovic, ranked No. 4 in the world, took the first set 6–3. But the world No. 1 Nadal remained resilient, saving three match points and eventually ending up winning in three sets after 4 hours and 3 minutes, in what he called one of the greatest wins of his career.[78] The match was voted the best match in Madrid Open history in 2022.[79] It is considered by some to be the best three-set match ever played,[80] and one of the best in history.[69][81]
The match between was at the time the longest men's tennis match in the Open Era played with the best-of-three-sets system. This record was later broken by Federer and del Potro at the 2012 London Olympics in their 4-hour and 26-minute semifinal match. It remains the longest ATP Masters match played with the best-of-three-sets system.[82]
2010 US Open final
Nadal needed to win the 2010 US Open to complete the Career Golden Slam; this generated much anticipation before the tournament, even more so when he would have to face Djokovic in the final, the Serb having an excellent record on this hard court surface. Nadal improved his serve significantly in 2010, and by this tournament it had become a powerful weapon.[83] He ultimately won the match in four sets (6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2), becoming the fourth man in the Open Era (after Rod Laver, Andre Agassi, and Roger Federer) to complete a Career Grand Slam and the second man in the open era to complete a Career Golden Slam, after Agassi.[84][85] Furthermore, Nadal became the fifth man in the Open Era to win three of the four grand slams in the same year.
2011 Miami Masters final
The match was the second time in which Nadal and Djokovic met in 2011, after having met a fortnight earlier in the Indian Wells final. Nadal was attempting to win the Miami Masters for the first time in his career, while Djokovic looked to keep his 23-match winning streak alive.[86] Nadal, ranked No. 1, took the first set 6–4. Djokovic, No. 2, fought back and prevailed in three sets, winning the last set in a tiebreak 7–6(7–4), with the match having lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes.[87] The final is considered to be one of the greatest in Miami Masters history, praised for its intensity and quality.[88][89]
The 2011 Wimbledon final would put the world No. 1 ranked and defending champion Nadal against the No. 2 ranked Djokovic who was looking for his first Wimbledon title. Nadal, on a 20-match winning streak at the All England Club, was favoured by many to win despite Djokovic coming into the match with four finals victories over Nadal during the year. However, with a four set victory, Djokovic became the first Serbian man to win Wimbledon and overtook Nadal for the No. 1 ranking the next day.[90]
2011 US Open final
The 2011 US Open final had Nadal as the defending champion after defeating Djokovic the prior year but with Djokovic having defeated Nadal in five finals including a victory over Nadal in the Wimbledon final earlier in the year, expectations were high on Djokovic to win his first US Open title. In a match lasting 4 hours and 10 minutes, Djokovic defeated Nadal for a sixth consecutive finals victory over Nadal. With the win, Djokovic became the sixth man in the Open Era to win three of the four majors in the same year.[91] The match is praised for being representative of their gladiatorial battles, with the third set being seen as one of the greatest sets of tennis ever.[92][93][94]
The duo faced off in their third straight major final, in what was the most anticipated and hyped match of the tournament,[95][96][97][98][99][100] with a Bleacher Report article describing it as "one of the most highly anticipated, as well as predicted, Australian Open finals matches the world has seen".[101] The top two players in the world battled in what was the longest Grand Slam final in history with Djokovic prevailing 7–5 in the fifth set in 5 hours 53 minutes.[102] Both players were exhausted to the extent that chairs had to be brought out during presentation.[103] The sixth game of the first set was particularly long, lasting over 11 minutes, going to five deuces and Nadal saving two break points.[104] The momentum switched several times throughout the match, with Nadal winning the first set, and at one stage Djokovic being only two points from winning the fourth set (and thus the championship). However, Nadal managed to force a deciding set. He went up a break in the fifth set, but the turning point was when he missed a backhand winner at the net at 4–2 30–15, and lost his chance to consolidate his break. Djokovic later converted his first championship point.[105]
Tennis legends Björn Borg, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Pat Cash, and Jim Courier have all responded saying this was the greatest match of all time.[106][107] Sampras expressed that the match was "by far the greatest match [he] ever saw. Incredible performances from both guys".[107] Agassi said, "I think this was the best tennis match ever in the men's game".[107] Borg said, "It showed what it takes to beat this top group of players. Truly fantastic match to watch. One of the greatest I’ve ever seen."[107] Tennis historian Steve Flink is quoted as saying to World Tennis that "This was definitely one of the greatest matches of all time – easily one of the ten best since the Open Era of tennis started in 1968."[108] Many congratulated both players for playing the greatest match ever witnessed, and news media also commented on the incredible quality of the match,[13] with sports broadcaster Russell Fuller stating that it was the "most physical and intense sporting event I have ever witnessed".[109] Simon Briggs, writing for The Daily Telegraph, stated that "It was certainly the longest, surely the hardest and arguably the greatest Grand Slam final in history."[110] Tennis journalist Scoop Malinowski expressed that "This match was beyond comprehension. I've never seen such an epic display of such talent, stamina and ferocity over the course of six hours".[111] After the match, Nadal stated that "Physically it was the toughest match I ever played, if not tougher. I am tired."[112] In 2015, Nadal chose the final as his favorite memory at the Australian Open over his win in 2009.[113] In 2019, Tennis Majors stated that it was "arguably the most gruelling grand slam final ever".[114] In 2020, Djokovic cited the final as the most grueling and physically exhausting match he ever played.[115] In 2022, Casper Ruud, a fan of Nadal, stated that if he could change one match in the history of tennis, it would be the final in favor of Nadal.[116] In 2023, it was listed by Tennis.com as one of the key matches in the "GOAT race" for most Grand Slam titles between the Big Three.[117]
With the win, Djokovic brought his win streak against Nadal to seven, all of which were in finals and 3 being Grand Slam finals. The match remains the only time that Nadal lost a major final after winning the first set.[118][67] It remains the longest match by duration for both players.[119][120]
The match is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis matches ever played, as well as being arguably the most physical match ever played.[121][122][15][123][124][125][108][16][126][127][128] Both players said the match was the toughest they had ever played physically.[118][129][115][117] Numerous sources have likened the match to a gladiator fight, due to the extreme physicality and intensity of the match itself.[107][130][131]
This match was the fourth straight Djokovic vs Nadal major final. Rafael Nadal won the first set 6–4, Nadal gaining a break of serve after a long attritional battle. There were several delays due to the erratic rain, but none lasting more than an hour. With Nadal leading by two sets to one, and Djokovic leading 2–1 and serving (up a break) in the fourth set, the match was suspended due to rain and played the next day;[132] it was initially thought that Djokovic had gained the momentum, having won eight games in a row prior to the suspension of the match, but Nadal was able to regroup and take the fourth set, and ultimately the match, after Djokovic double-faulted on championship point.
2013 Monte-Carlo Masters final
Djokovic defeated eight-time defending champion Nadal in the final of the 2013 Monte-Carlo Masters in straight sets. It was Nadal's second loss at the event, and his first in a final. Nadal was on a 46-match win streak heading into the final, and was the eight-time defending champion.[133] Djokovic was up 5–0 in the first set, before Nadal made a small comeback, however, Djokovic ultimately took the set 6–2. He then won the next set in a tiebreak, letting out an iconic roar when he won.
2013 French Open semifinal
In the most anticipated match of the tournament, Nadal defeated Djokovic in a five-set epic that lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes.[109][134][135] Both players produced incredible tennis in what was a mirror image of the 2012 Australian Open final.[136][137] The match had momentum swings throughout the entire affair but the most important occurred late in the fifth set when Djokovic, up a break, touched the net on a winner that would have put him in position to serve for the match, losing the point. He never recovered mentally from this mistake and Nadal saved the break and immediately broke back, eventually winning the final set. After the match, Nadal stated "I lost a match like this in Australia," and that "This one was for me."[71]
Björn Borg dubbed it the greatest clay court match ever.[138][139]John McEnroe said it might have been the best match ever played on a clay court.[140][141] Tennis historian Steve Flink told World Tennis that "It was definitely among the finest semifinals ever played".[141] Journalist Bud Collins described it as "one of the most thrilling matches played at the French Open".[140] In 2023, it was listed by Tennis.com as one of the key matches in the "GOAT race" for most Grand Slam titles between the Big Three.[137]
It is considered to be one of the best matches in French Open history,[141][143][144] and the best match the pair have played against each other at the French Open.[127][71][137] The match was seen as the de facto final.[145][146][140][147]
2013 Canada Masters semifinal
Nadal defeated two-time defending champion Djokovic in the semifinals of the 2013 Canada Masters. It was a particularly tense match, especially after Nadal hit Djokovic in the face by accident when Djokovic came to the net and Nadal hit a passing shot.[148] Nadal won the first set 6–4, before Djokovic answered back in the second with a 6–3 set. The third set then went to a tiebreak, in which Nadal dominated and ultimately clinched in the end. It has been praised as a thriller.[149][150]
2014 Rome Masters final
Djokovic defeated two-time defending champion Nadal for the second time in a Rome Masters final, at the 2014 Rome Masters final, the first time being in 2011 in straight sets.[151] It was Nadal's only loss in a Rome Masters final after having won the first set. Nadal would take the first set, surging to a double-break lead behind a ferocious offensive onslaught, and held on to take the opener in 46 minutes, at 6–4. Djokovic would respond by rallying back to take the next two sets 6–3.
2015 French Open quarterfinal
Djokovic defeated five-time defending champion Nadal, ending a record 39-match winning streak at the tournament in straight sets. After a highly competitive first set, Nadal's level declined in the second and third allowing Djokovic to finally get the better of him at the tournament he had dominated for the last ten years. It was the second time Nadal lost in the French Open and the first time he lost in straight sets at the event. Djokovic eventually lost in the final to Stan Wawrinka.
2018 Wimbledon semifinal
In one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament and their rivalry,[152][153][154] Djokovic defeated Nadal in a thrilling five set match, lasting 5 hours, 15 minutes and played over two days. The match was highly anticipated early on, as Nadal, the world No. 1, had not progressed beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon since 2011 (where he lost to Djokovic in the final), and Djokovic on the other hand was recovering from a long elbow injury and had dropped down in the rankings. Nadal was considered the favourite due to his far superior form that year, riding a 17-match winning streak heading into the match, including a straight-set victory over Djokovic at the Italian Open,[155][156][157] with Nadal's coach, Francisco Roig, considering him to be the "slightly favorite" going into the match.[158]
Due to delay caused by a six-and-half hour semifinal between Kevin Anderson and John Isner, the match started in the late Friday evening. Djokovic and Nadal won the first and second sets respectively. The third set entered the tiebreak and Djokovic saved three set points to win the set. As Wimbledon does not permit match play after 11:00 p.m, the match was halted after three sets. The fourth set, played next day, featured a lot of break point opportunities for both players, with the opening game lasting over 15 minutes and six deuces, with Nadal saving two break points, showing just how close the match was.[159] Eventually it was Nadal who took the set. In the fifth set, both players held serve for the first 17 games, despite Nadal having break points in games 9 and 15, and Djokovic in games 8 and 16. The 15th game was also long, lasting over 10 minutes, going to five deuces and Djokovic saving three break points. Nadal saved a match point in the sixteenth game with a drop shot.[159] In the end, Djokovic broke Nadal's serve at love to seal the match.
A Washington Post article describing both of the Wimbledon semifinals stated that "One semifinal was a beauty — tennis at its fully committed best — in which Djokovic and world No. 1 Rafael Nadal staged a dazzling display of shot-making, tactical acumen, defensive wizardry and exceptional athleticism before Djokovic prevailed".[160] Tennis historian Steve Flink stated that "Djokovic’s triumph over Nadal in the Wimbledon semifinals must rank as one of the greatest and most crucial of his career."[161] Tennis journalist Scoop Malinowski argued that it might have been the greatest match ever played.[162] The match is seen as Djokovic's return to the top,[163] as Novak himself in 2019 credited the match as the turning point of his comeback and with giving him “a different, more confident self.”[164][165][166] In 2023, it was listed by Tennis.com as one of the key matches in the "GOAT race" for most Grand Slam titles between the Big Three.[167]
It was the third-most games Djokovic has played in a fifth set, at 10–8, after his 12–10 fifth-set victory against Stan Wawrinka at the 2013 Australian Open, and later his 13–12 tiebreak fifth-set victory against Roger Federer in the 2019 Wimbledon Championships final.[54][168] Whereas it was the second-most games that Nadal has played in a fifth set, after his 13–15 fifth set defeat to Gilles Muller at the 2017 Wimbledon Championships.[169] Djokovic ended Nadal's 16 consecutive Grand Slam semifinal win streak,[54] dating back to the 2010 French Open,[170] along with it being Nadal's first Grand Slam semifinal loss of the decade,[171] and his first loss in a Wimbledon semifinal.[172] It was the second longest semifinal in Wimbledon history.[173]
The match is considered one of the greatest of all time, and among the finest matches in the history of Wimbledon.[162][174][175][176][177][178][167] The match was praised for the high quality and intensity shown throughout.[179][176][167] The match was also considered to be the de facto final.[180][181][182][177]
2021 French Open semifinal
In the most anticipated match of the tournament,[183][184] Djokovic defeated four-time defending champion Nadal in a bruising four set encounter, lasting 4 hours, 11 minutes. Nadal raced into a 5–0 lead, taking the first set 6–3, only for Djokovic to level, taking the second set by the same scoreline. The third set, lasting 97 minutes, was described as one of the greatest sets ever,[185] which Djokovic took on a tiebreak after surviving a set point.[186][187] Despite Nadal taking a 2–0 lead in the fourth set, Djokovic won the next six games, to hand Nadal just his third ever defeat at the French Open in his 108th match at the tournament and ending his 35-match winning streak, the second highest in the tournament's history.[188]
It was Nadal's first loss in a French Open semifinal, having previously been 13–0 prior to the match.[189] It was also the first match that Nadal lost at the French Open after having won the first set.[64] Djokovic would go on to win the title, becoming the first man in the Open Era to win each of the four Grand Slams on multiple occasions. The match was praised by many as the best of the season.[190][191][192] Some deemed it to be the greatest match that had ever been played following its conclusion.[193] Djokovic praised the match as being the best he had ever played in the French Open.[194] During the match, Andy Murray stated that "You cannot play better clay court tennis than this. It's perfect", while Darren Cahill stated that it was "One of the very best matches I've seen. Well done to Novak and Rafa. Brilliant tennis."[195]
2024 Olympics second round
After missing most of the tour events for the previous 2 years Nadal decided to play the singles event in the Olympics. His low seed made a second round match vs Djokovic possible. The Serbian prevailed by winning 6-1 6-4. Having Djokovic led the second set by 4-0 Nadal fought back and broke Djokovic's service twice. But he was broken when serving to be in front in a set for the first time in the match. Djokovic held his serve to win.
In Bogotá on 21 March 2011, Nadal beat Djokovic in their first exhibition match and the highest caliber match ever played in Colombia.[196] A second exhibition, with proceeds to benefit a foundation run by Nadal and the football team Real Madrid, was scheduled for July 14, 2012 in Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium,[197] but cancelled because of injury to Nadal.[198]
Most consecutive seasons in the Open Era playing a Grand Slam final (5), from 2010 to 2014
Doubles team made up of singles No. 1 and No. 2 (shared with Connors and Ashe)
Djokovic and Nadal hold the all-time record of titles in their respective favoured Grand Slam tournaments. Nadal's at the French Open and Djokovic at the Australian Open. Neither player has lost a final in those respective events.
First pair to win Grand Slams in three different decades: 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Oldest pair in the Open Era to play the French Open final (in 2020), with Nadal aged 34 and Djokovic aged 33 to put them at a combined age of 67
Roger Federer is a Swiss former professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. He won 103 singles titles on the ATP Tour, the second most of all time, including 20 major men's singles titles and six year-end championships.
Rafael Nadal Parera is a Spanish former professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 209 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal won 22 Grand Slam men's singles titles, including a record 14 French Open titles. He won 92 ATP-level singles titles, including 36 Masters titles and an Olympic gold medal, with 63 of these on clay courts. Nadal is one of three men to complete the career Golden Slam in singles. His 81 consecutive wins on clay constitute the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
Stanislas Wawrinka is a Swiss professional tennis player. He reached a career-high Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) singles ranking of world No. 3 on 27 January 2014. He is a three-time Grand Slam champion, at the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and at the 2016 US Open, where he defeated the world No. 1 player in the final on all three occasions.
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player. He has been ranked No. 1 for a record total of 428 weeks in a record 13 different years by the ATP, and finished as the year-end No. 1 a record eight times. Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slam men's singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles. Overall, he has won 99 singles titles, including a record 72 Big Titles: 24 majors, a record 40 Masters, a record seven year-end championships, and an Olympic gold medal. Djokovic is the only man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of all four majors at once across three different surfaces. In singles, he is the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam, and the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters, a feat he has accomplished twice. Djokovic is the only player in singles to have won all of the Big Titles over the course of his career, having completed the Career Super Slam as part of that accomplishment.
The tennis rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport. Federer and Nadal played each other 40 times, with Nadal leading 24–16 overall, including 14–10 in finals.
This is a list of the main career statistics of professional tennis player Rafael Nadal. All statistics are according to the ATP Tour website. To date, Nadal has won 92 ATP singles titles, including 22 Grand Slam men's singles titles and 36 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles. He is one of three men to achieve the Career Golden Slam in men's singles, with titles at all four majors and the Olympic singles gold. He is the first man in history to win Grand Slam singles titles on three different surfaces in a calendar year and is the youngest (24) in the Open Era to achieve the Career Grand Slam. He is the fourth man in history to complete the double Career Grand Slam in singles, after Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, and Novak Djokovic. He is the first man to win multiple majors and rank world No. 1 in three different decades.
The 2012 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2012 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a tennis tournament that was played at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, between 5 and 12 November 2012.
The rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer was one of the most prolific rivalries in tennis history and is considered one of the greatest rivalries of all time.
The 2012 Australian Open Men's Singles final was the championship tennis match of the men's singles tournament at the 2012 Australian Open between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, at the time ranked the number 1 and 2 players in the world, respectively. A defining match in the Djokovic–Nadal rivalry, the Serb defeated the Spaniard 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5–7), 7–5 to win the tournament. It was both the longest Australian Open match and the longest major final match in history, lasting 5 hours 53 minutes, overtaking the record previously set by the 1988 US Open final between Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl. It is considered to be one of the greatest and most physical tennis matches of all time. With both players at their highest levels, the match was regarded as a war of attrition with impeccable quality throughout the duration of play. It remains the only time that Nadal has lost a major final after winning the first set. The defeat also marks the first, and so far only time, that a man has lost in three consecutive major finals.
Dominic Thiem is an Austrian former professional tennis player. He was ranked as high as world No. 3 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals, which he first achieved in March 2020. Thiem won 17 ATP Tour singles titles, including a Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open where he came back from two sets down to defeat Alexander Zverev in the final. With the win, Thiem became the first male player born in the 1990s to claim a Major singles title, as well as the first Austrian to win the US Open singles title. He had previously reached three other Major finals, finishing runner-up at the 2018 and 2019 French Open to Rafael Nadal, and at the 2020 Australian Open to Novak Djokovic. Thiem was also runner-up at the 2019 and 2020 ATP Finals, where he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev, respectively.
The Djokovic–Murray rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. They met 36 times, and Djokovic leads 25–11 overall and 11–8 in finals. Ten of their encounters were played in majors, with Djokovic leading 8–2. Djokovic and Murray are one of two male pairs to have contested the finals of each of the four majors.
The 2013 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2013 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a men's tennis tournament that was played on indoor hard courts at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, between 4 and 11 November 2013. It was the season-ending event for the best singles players and doubles teams of the 2013 ATP World Tour.
The 2009 Rafael Nadal tennis season officially began on January 5 with the start of the 2009 ATP World Tour.
The 2014 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a men's tennis tournament played at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, between 9 and 16 November 2014. It was the season-ending event for the best singles players and doubles teams on the 2014 ATP World Tour. The Bryan Brothers won the title at the doubles tournament, while Novak Djokovic successfully defended his single title for the second time after Roger Federer withdrew from the final, the first walkover in a final in the tournament's 45-year history.
Daniil Sergeyevich Medvedev is a Russian professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 1 in men's singles by the ATP. He has won 20 ATP Tour singles titles, including the 2021 US Open and 2020 ATP Finals.
Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a Spanish professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as World No. 1 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Alcaraz has won 16 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including four major titles and five Masters 1000 titles.
The Big Three is a common nickname in tennis for the trio of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, each considered to be among the greatest players of all time. The trio dominated men's singles tennis for two decades, collectively winning 66 major singles tournaments; Djokovic leads with an all-time record of 24 titles, followed by Nadal with 22 and Federer with 20. They have been ranked as world No. 1s in singles for a total of 947 weeks ; Djokovic for a record 428 weeks, Federer for 310, and Nadal for 209. One of the three finished the season as the year-end No. 1 player every year from 2004 to 2023, with the exceptions of 2016 and 2022. They collectively occupied the top-three positions of the year-end ATP rankings eight times; in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2019.
This is a list of the combined career statistics of the Big Four, the four players who have dominated men's tennis in singles for the majority of the first quarter of the 21st century. The Big Four consists of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.
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