It has been one of the greatest matchups in sports over the last 15 years, and on Thursday, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will add a new chapter to their famed rivalry as they walk on to the court to face each other for a staggering 50th time.
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Seven-time Australian Open winner and defending champion Djokovic has a slight edge head-to-head, leading the 20-time major winner 26-23. The No. 2 seed Serb also has a winning record in Grand Slams, leading the six time Australian Open champion 10-6 (What’s interesting is five of these 16 meetings have been in the finals and 10 in the semifinals).
The rivalry that began in 2006 at the Monte Carlo Masters, saw Federer win 13 of the first 19 matches played till 2010. However, the tide turned in the next decade with Djokovic winning 20 of the 30 absorbing battles in 2010s.
Going by the recent results, the 16-time Grand Slam champion has had the upper hand, but their last meeting at the ATP Finals last year saw the Swiss maestro snap a losing streak of four matches that began at the Australian Open in 2016.
As the rivalry renews in Melbourne, it will be interesting to see who draws first blood in the new decade. But, as we build up to the mouthwatering clash, here is a look at the top five duels between the two in majors.
5. 2011 French Open Semifinal
Back then it was a matchup between 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and the fast-improving two-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic. The Swiss, who had won the title at Roland Garros two years ago and finished as runner-up three years in a row prior to the 2009 success, was up against an adversary who was in the form of his life.
The Serb, looking invincible at the start of the season, came into the tournament having won the Australian Open, Dubai Championships, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Masters, Serbian Open, Madrid Masters and Rome Masters. With form on his side and his game better suited for clay than his opponent, Djokovic was hands down favourite to win their first ever meeting at Roland Garros.
But the Swiss legend had other ideas. Playing out punishing rallies, the two broke each other early in the first set to force the tie-breaker, which Federer won 7-5. Carrying the momentum into the second, Federer broke Djokovic early and then held on to take a two-set lead. The Serb, refusing to give up, fought back in the third breaking Federer early and then capitalizing on that start to win the set 6-3.
More engaging rallies continued in the fourth set, with Djokovic getting his nose ahead with a break in the ninth game. However, Federer came back with an immediate response making it 5-5. Djokovic got another break point opportunity in the 11th game, but Federer saved it with a scorching ace down the middle. The set went into the tie-break, and the Swiss finally ended Djokovic’s 43-match win streak, with a 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 victory that came under fading light on Court Philippe Chartrier and lasted 3 hours and 39 minutes.
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4. 2010 U.S Open Semifinal
A couple of Grand Slams before that slugfest at Roland Garros, the two were involved in an epic semifinal at Flushing Meadows. Federer had made it to the last four without dropping a set. Djokovic too had shrugged off a nervy start against compatriot Viktor Troicki, which was decided in five, and stormed into the semis without dropping another set. What was to follow though would go down in history as a classic.
Federer, looking to build on 10-5 record over Djokovic, took the first set 7-5, but a flurry of misses in the second saw Djokovic come right into the contest taking the second set 6-1. The fortunes changed in the third as Federer got his touch back, but the relentless Serb raced to a 6-2 win in the fourth to force the decider.
A pulsating match that swung from one end to another finally had Federer in the driver’s seat when he went up 15-40 leading 5-4 in the final set. Djokovic, serving to save the match, refused to die, producing two gems – a smash across the court to end a brutal baseline exchange that had Federer running from one end to the other and then a forehand winner hit with sheer disdain to come back into the contest.
With his tail up, Djokovic went on to break Federer in the next game and then fought off the Swiss legend’s comeback attempt in the 12th game to win the contest 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. Djokovic looked stunned after the gruelling 3-hour and 44-minute encounter which propelled him into his second final at the U.S. Open.
Federer, who had been knocked out of the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon that year, was now beaten in the semifinals of the U.S. Open and the murmurs of him having passed his prime grew louder (Facepalm).
Ten years on, he not only remains relevant, but is still the top three in the world.
3. 2011 U.S. Open Semifinal
Exactly a year after that epic battle at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Federer and Djokovic were at it again. And the former was about to be hit by a sense of deja vu.
Coming into the semifinal with a 62-2 record (one of those defeats coming at the hands of Federer at Roland Garros mentioned above), Djokovic was once again seen as the favourite to win the contest, but it was Federer who started brightly.
Taking the first set 7-6, the Swiss went on to build a two-set lead by winning the second 6-4. But Djokovic, who had not done much wrong whole season, was not going to surrender meekly. He fought back, taking the next two sets and forcing the decider.
Federer found his touch back in the fifth and broke Djokovic to love in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Serving for the match, Federer went up 40-15 and almost had a foot in a seventh U.S. Open final, when Djokovic came up with a thunderous cross-court forehand return to save a match point. That unreal return on Federer’s serve became one of the biggest talking points of the match.
Federer then get a tad unlucky as he caught the net and blew away the other match point. Djokovic seized control from there on and after an epic 3 hour and 15minute battle the Serb finally came out on top, winning 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.
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2. 2014 Wimbledon Final
Having played out a classic Wimbledon final in 2012, which Federer won in four to end his title drought in majors that went back to the 2010 Australian Open, Federer and Djokovic were involved in another humdinger at the All England Club.
Playing his first Grand Slam final since the 2012 success, Federer took the first set in a tie-breaker. Djokovic responded taking the next set 6-4 and then winning the third set in a tie-break. He looked in cruise control as he raced to a 5-2 lead in the fourth, before Federer struck back.
In what was turning out to be another strokeful display from both the players, Federer broke Djokovic twice to win the next five games and force the decider as he staged an incredible comeback.
Some exhilarating tennis followed in the fifth set, with Federer finally getting broken in the 10th game of the match and after 3 hours and 56 minutes of breathtaking tennis, Djokovic won 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4.
1. 2019 Wimbledon Final
Probably a matter of recency bias, but don’t think anything comes close to the Wimbledon final played in 2019. It still haunts Federer fans and may haunt them the rest of their lives. For Djokovic it probably will go down as the greatest moment in his career.
A see-saw final that lasted four hours and 57 minutes was probably one of the greatest matches of all time. And that scoreline says it all: 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3).
Djokovic held nerves to take the first set in a tough tie-breaker, but was blown away in the second. He fought back to go up 2 sets to 1, but the king of grass wasn’t ready to give up. Aiming to win a ninth title at Wimbledon, Federer fought back to force the decider. And what a heart-stopper it turned out to be.
Both matched each other stroke for stroke, before Federer finally got himself ahead, breaking Djokovic in the 15th game. Serving for the match at 8-7, the Swiss had two championship points but it was Djokovic’s turn to dig deep and bounce back. Saving both the match points, the Serb roared back into the game.
The nerve wracking contest, went to the tie-break at 12-12 and Djokovic, who was the second best for most parts of the match, eventually snatched victory from jaws of defeat, winning the longest ever Wimbledon final.
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