The world No. 1 ranking doesn’t say enough. Neither do the 10 tournament titles. The story of Novak Djkovic’s current success lies in two numbers: 64 and 2.
Novak Djokovic’s 2011 U.S. Open Win Caps 64-2 Season
64 matches. One loss in four sets. And one loss where, down 0-3 in the second set to Andy Murray, Djokovic retired due to fatigue and a shoulder injury.
While his first Grand Slam came in 2008, it took him exactly three years to the tournament to bring home his second Grand Slam title with this year’s Australian Open. He won two more 2011 Grand Slam titles - making him just the seventh man to win three slams in one year since 1968, when tennis turned professional.
The Serbian, known as “The Joker” for his humorous impersonations of fellow players, has beaten world No. 2 Rafael Nadal six times in 2011. He won a record five Masters titles in one season. And, he compiled a 41-match 2011 win streak (43 including 2010) that ended with a four-set loss to Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open.
Djokovic’s first full year on the tour was in 2005. Now, six years later, his final victory of the Grand Slam season was a 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1, 4-hour victory against Nadal - his first U.S. Open victory.
What Djokovic did to the sport of tennis in 2011, Nadal said “is probably impossible to repeat.”
But, is it enough to call it the greatest season ever?
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