15 years of a crazy quest: How Djokovic fell on Federer and Nadal

End of 2010: The record? Unthinkable

Novak Djokovic opened his capital charts at the age of 20 by winning the Australian Open in 2008 after beating Roger Federer in the half then Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. But it will take time to digest this initial coronation. Almost three years later, at the end of 2010, Nole is still stuck on a Grand Slam victory. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meanwhile continued to pile up the trophies.

Of the 11 Majors that followed the Australian in 2008, the Swiss won 4 and the Spaniard 6, with only Juan Martin Del Potro managing to interfere in the game. It’s pretty crazy to write this today , but the Argentinian then has as many titles as Djokovic. The latter is “slightly” behind his two great rivals Federer and Nadal, with 16 and 9 titles respectively. If anyone back then bet a kopeck on the fact that Djoko would one day hold this record alone, today he is probably richer than Bill Gates and Elon Musk combined.

Federer 16
Nadal 9
Djokovic 1

2011 – 2014: The explosion then the era of sharing

It was in 2011 that Djokovic changed dimensions and, at the same time, the face of modern tennis. His Petit Slam allows him to reach the first place in the world. In the process, he won the Australian Open again in January 2012. Here he is with 5 Majors in his pocket and, for the first time, we begin to ask ourselves the question: how far can he go? But he stalled for the first time by winning only one of the following nine major tournaments, until Roland-Garros 2014.

The emergence of Andy Murray, who transforms from Big 3 to Big 4, that of Stan Wawrinka, the first flashback of Federer, who became world number one again in 2012, and the maintenance of Nadal, lead to a form of balance . Of the nine GCs played from Roland-Garros 2012 to Roland-Garros 2014, the breakdown is as follows: Nadal (4), Murray (2), Federer (1), Djokovic (1), Wawrinka (1). Now at the heart of his career, Djokovic has moved closer to Federer in three years, but not Nadal. He’s still a long way off.

Federer 17
Nadal 14
Djokovic 6

2014 – 2016: 6 out of 8 and “Nole Slam”

Ready for the Djoko show? In the mad race for the record, Novak Djokovic’s victory at Wimbledon in 2014 is probably underestimated. First because it will mark the start of a euphoric period for him. Then because it was obtained after a hair-raising match in five sets against Roger Federer. The tipping point between the two men begins here and will not stop, at least in their direct relationship. In just over a year, the Serb has beaten the Swiss three times in the Grand Slam final (Wimbledon 2014 and 2015, US Open 2015).

For the first time since 2011, Djokovic once again becomes the undisputed boss of the circuit. He won three-quarters of the major tournaments (6 out of 8) in the space of two years, culminating in a Grand Slam straddling two years, the “Nole Slam”. He has just doubled his total titles over this period. On the evening of his first triumph in Paris in June 2016, he was within gunshot of his two rivals. And if he doesn’t win everything, the rest escapes Federer and Nadal. Until the end of 2016, Murray, Wawrinka and Cilic pick up the (big) crumbs, which serves his interests.

Federer 17
Nadal 14
Djokovic 12

2016 – 2018: The trough of the wave

It was when you least expected it that the man from Belgrade suffered the biggest and most lasting setback of his career since moving to the top. Following his “Nole Slam” completed at Roland-Garros to end his Parisian curse, we see him continue to devastate everything in his path. But from Wimbledon, the machine jams. Djokovic disappears in the round of 16.

The beginning of a negative cycle between failing motivation and injuries, especially to the elbow, which will force him to pass on the billiards. He hit rock bottom in early 2017 in Melbourne, “his” tournament, which he left in the second round, beaten by Istomin. It is this same Australian Open which will bring together Federer and Nadal in the final. The Swiss-Spanish duo regains control and power. From early 2017 to Roland-Garros 2018, the two men equally shared the six major titles at stake. They redid the hole. For good this time, we think. Federer still has an eight-point lead and Novak in turn entered his thirties…

Federer 20
Nadal 17
Djokovic 12

2018 – 2023: The Incredible Cavalcade

Roland-Garros 2018. Beaten in the quarter-finals by Marco Cecchinato, Novak Djokovic left the Porte d’Auteuil in anger. He has not reached the last four in the last six Grand Slam tournaments. He is 31 years old and is not far from the crisis. But he will quickly come out of it to begin one of the most prolific periods of his career. It was at Wimbledon that he relaunched the machine. A memorable half against Nadal then a quiet victory against Kevin Anderson and he was off again. In the process, he triumphed at the US Open.

In five years (July 2018 – June 2023), the Djoker will win… 11 major titles, the equivalent of Björn Borg’s record. Four victories in Australia, two at Roland-Garros, four at Wimbledon and one at the US Open: an incredible cavalcade, which could have been even crazier without some inconvenience. He was deprived of participation in Wimbledon (cancelled in 2020), suffered a disqualification in New York in 2020 and missed Australia and the US Open in 2022 due to his non-vaccination. Without the Covid-19, it could therefore already have one or two additional Majors.

This new golden period for him marked the beginning of the end and then the end for Federer, who remained stuck at 20. Nadal, he still won five additional Grand Slams, including three at Roland-Garros. It is remarkable, but it was not enough to stop the infernal return of a Novak Djokovic who will therefore have won as many major titles between 2018 and 2023 as between 2009 and 2017.

Djokovic 23
Nadal 22
Federer 20