FEderer and Djokovic in the 2019 Grand Slam final Photo: AP Photo / Ben Curti
After the final they played Roger Federer Y Novak Djokovic on the pitch at Wimbledon in July 2019, many have talked about some of the greatest matches ever. That cloudy English afternoon when a Roger who’s about to turn 38 played thethe longest final in the history of all England Against a 32-year-old Novak, the Swiss had a chance to close the game twice but, in the end, would not make it to his 21st Grand Slam. A real five hour battle which ended 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6 and 13-12 which will be remembered as the last Grand Slam final played by Federer and Djokovicprotagonists of one of the best rivalries in the history of tennis.
That day, the Serbian became a real threat because he won his fifth Wimbledon and his 16th Grand Slam, only four remaining from the Swiss which would remain stuck in the non-negligible figure of 20 Major. Plus, he had four more games in the record between the two: 26-22, it was then. They would play twice more to round up 50 games and the duel would end with 27 wins for Djokovic against 23 for Federer.
Yes Djokovic was histrionic and overcome impossible points within a field, Federer was the exact opposite: he played on tiptoe as if he were a dancer and could finish a game without flinching or sweating. A Juventus tennis player, as if brought from another era, who reached the top in what was perhaps the most competitive moment in history
Nole, always around the controversy. Roger has never made a sound (at least since he stopped crushing the rackets on the ground). And, in this extravagant game of oppositeswe could add that, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, Federer announced with great fanfare that he was vaccinated with Pfizerwhile the Serb led a fight against the vaccine which took away the opportunity to be the biggest winner in history and which also upset the ATP rankings.
Despite the differences, Federer and Djokovic were the protagonists of one of the most beautiful duels in history of modern tennis. And it’s clear that the appearance of both Nole and Rafa Nadal added difficulties to what would have been a comfortable reign for the Swiss and tennis history with a Big Four (which Andy Murray joined for a while with great effort), which ended up being a large tree that has broken all records in history.
Their first fight was in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 in 2006 when the Swiss was already number one in the world and the Serbian was in 67th place rank step. On the Monegasque brick dust and with a Roger victory the record of 50 games was inaugurated.
The Swiss have started to comfortably win heads-up and have won the first four games played. The first Grand Slam? Australia in 2007. Djokovic was already 15th in the standings and Roger was still the leader. They met in the round of 16 and the Swiss prevailed without too much trouble in three sets.
Needless to say, Djokovic has become a real stone in Federer’s shoe. The Serbian was the player who beat the Swiss several times. In 2021, Nole hit 311 weeks as world number one and left her mark on Roger, who until then held the record with 310. It can be said that it was a rematch that came ten years later when Roger cut a series of 41 consecutive games. He won consecutively at Roland Garros.
Djokovic is 4-1 Australia and has won three of the four games he has played in Wimbledon. In the other two Slams they are tied: 1-1 in Roland Garros and 3-3 in US Open. They played 17 Grand Slam games, including 11 in the semi-finals and five in the final. Eleven went to Nole and six to Roger.
The last time Federer beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam was in 2012. From that point on, it’s been ten years of the Serb’s reign over the Swiss. Even the years in which the duel that ended 27 to 23 was reversed.
Five unforgettable matches between Federer and Djokovic
1. Wimbledon 2019, for many the best in history
2. 2009 US Open Semifinal
Another match for history. Ten years before the Wimbledon final we find a full-fledged Federer beating a much younger Djokovic 7-6, 7-5 and 7-5.
3. Semifinal Roland Garros 2011, the best that was seen between Federer and Nadal
It was 7-6, 6-3, 3-6 and 7-6 in a match that featured another Federer. That Parisian afternoon he didn’t play “tiptoe”. The Elveziano was pure fury and speed to keep another battle to remember.
4. Final Master 1000 Canada 2007
That day, Djokovic broke his shell and said: “Here I am, I am coming to complicate your reign”. 7-6, 2-6 and 7-6 (2) for Nole who got her first win against Roger.
5. US Open 2011 semi-final: Nole is back
Djokovic reversed a game that started favorably for Federer. A great match that started 2-0 in sets for the Swiss, even if the title went to Serbia. It was 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and 7-5. great game
Source: Clarin
