Five opponents Novak Djokovic has faced most in Grand Slam finals

Novak Djokovic lost his first grand slam final in 2007 at the US Open against Roger Federer.

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, has cemented his place as one of the greatest men’s singles players in tennis history. Rising to prominence in an era dominated by two legends, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Djokovic’s breakthrough redefined the sport. His victory at the 2008 Australian Open ended their 11-major winning streak, marking the birth of the “Big Three” era.

Stamping his authority in arguably the most glorious as well as competitive tennis era, the Serbian has had his path full of challenges in 37 grand slam finals making his route to glory even more special. Today we will be taking on the most familiar names Djokovic has had to encounter as he paved his way to achieving 24 Grand Slam trophies.

Also Read: How many matches has Novak Djokovic won at each Grand Slam?

Five opponents Novak Djokovic has faced the most in Grand Slam finals

5. Stan Wawrinka (2)

Stan Wawrinka, a player who might have claimed many more Grand Slam titles in a different era, was one of the most formidable threats to the legendary trio. Despite ending with only three Grand Slams, the Swiss legend managed to capture the attention and adoration of one and all. Notably, Wawrinka defeated Djokovic in both the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open finals.

4. Daniil Medvedev (3)

The big match performer Daniil Medvedev has one Grand Slam title to his name which he had won in 2021 at the US Open triumphing over Djokovic in straight sets. Apart from that clash, the duo squared off previously in two GS finals including the 2021 Australian Open and 2023 US Open, with the Serbian prevailing comfortably on both occasions.

3. Roger Federer (5)

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic played arguably the best match of the 21st century in the 2019 Wimbledon final which saw the Serbian emerging victorious in a nerve-wrecking five setter contests, outlasting the 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer, who had two championship points on offer on his own serve but was unable to convert them both.

Overall, the Swiss-Serb duo has met on five instances in the past, with Djokovic leading Federer by a healthy margin of 4-1. Novak Djokovic’s wins include Wimbledon 14, Wimbledon 15, US Open 15 and Wimbledon 19 final with his solitary defeat to the Swiss maestro coming back in 2007 at the US Open.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: Who has won most big titles?

2. Andy Murray (7)

Arguably the unluckiest tennis athlete in the sport’s history, Andy Murray, had a career marred by injuries along with the presence of the “Big Three” which limited the British sensation to winning just three Grand Slams. Murray fought for the silverware as many as seven times against Djokovic and fell short on five such occasions.

Two out of his three major slams were accomplished by defeating the Serbian at the 2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon final. However, Murray’s dreams of winning the Australian Open were cut short despite having four shots at it, with Novak Djokovic winning on each instance.

1. Rafael Nadal (9)

One of the greatest sporting rivalries which officially came to a close recently is between Rafael Nadal and Djokovic. While during his prime, popularly referred to as the “King of Clay”, if there was one player who challenged Rafa on his favourite courts it was Djoker. The duo has treated fans to countless epic battles with the 2012 Australian Open being one of the highlights, wherein Djokovic prevailed over the Spaniard in a marathon five setter that lasted for 5 hours 53 minutes.

This is one of the few head-to-heads which Djokovic trails, as it is Nadal who leads 5-4 over the Serbian in Grand Slam finals. The most recent final between the duo was played at the 2020 French Open in which the 14-time French Open champion brushed aside the Serbian in straight sets.

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