Novak Djokovic has won more Grand Slam titles than any other player in the history of the sport.
The Serbian star is a 24-time Major champion, having won several titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments during his time on the ATP Tour.
Djokovic won his first at the Australian Open in 2008, 15 years before his latest triumph at the 2023 US Open.
He lost his most recent Major final, however, as Carlos Alcaraz beat Djokovic at Wimbledon last year, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6.
13 times Djokovic has lost a Grand Slam final, as he picked the two defeats that made him angriest, in an interview five years ago.
Novak Djokovic was left ‘angry’ after losing two Grand Slam finals to Stan Wawrinka
Speaking in an Instagram interview with Stan Wawrinka, Djokovic was asked to name the tennis losses that left him feeling angry.
“One of them was with you, [Stan Wawrinka] Roland Garros finals in 2015, and another was also with you in 2016 in New York,” he said.
“I don’t know, for some reason, you make me angry man, you completely dismantle my game.”
- 2015 French Open final – Stan Wawrinka beat Novak Djokovic, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
- 2016 US Open final – Stan Wawrinka beat Novak Djokovic, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
Djokovic then recalled how both of his Major final defeats to Wawrinka followed a similar pattern.
“Both of the matches I lost to you in finals at Roland Garros and US Open, I felt it was a very similar trajectory of the match,” he said.
“I started well and won the first set in both of the matches and then some close games, pretty even in the second set, where the result was here and there I didn’t take my chances and then you pick up and you go to a level that was higher than mine and you were a better player and won against me.”
The Serb explained why the defeats to Wawrinka troubled him more than his other Major final losses.
“I was not upset with the way I played, because if you are just better that is it, I cannot be too upset because of that, I have to accept it, and say well done,” he said.
“But I was upset with myself that I repeated the same thing twice, that I allowed you to take all the momentum and control of the match.
“I feel like I had opportunities in both second sets of both finals and then probably the match, there would be a much higher chance for me to win being two sets up.
“So I was upset with this outcome.”
Djokovic was left devastated in 2015, as he failed in his bid to win a maiden French Open title, having knocked out Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in the two previous rounds.
The Swiss star impressively fought back from a set down to win, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, in front of the Parisian fans.
Have Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka played at a Grand Slam tournament since 2016?
Twice, Djokovic and Wawrinka have faced off at Major tournaments since 2016, at the US Open in 2019, and at Wimbledon, two years ago.
Djokovic was unsuccessful in his search for revenge in New York, as he lost once more to Wawrinka, retiring while down two sets to love in the fourth round.
Four years on, Djokovic finally had his chance at redemption, when the pair played one another at Wimbledon in 2023.
Not ready to let the opportunity slip through his fingers, the Serb played some excellent tennis as he eased past Wawrinka in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, 7-6.
The win saw Djokovic take the lead in the Grand Slam head-to-head with Wawrinka 5-4.
It remains to be seen if fans will be treated to another Grand Slam installment of the Wawrinka/Djokovic rivalry, but it will certainly be a storyline to look out for when the French Open draw is released in May.
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