Novak Djokovic has played in some of the greatest tennis matches of all time.
The 37-year-old has played in the biggest tournaments all over the world against his biggest rivals over the course of his career.
He has won some and lost some, but one thing is for sure, Novak Djokovic has competed in some matches that will long in the memories of fans worldwide.
There are two matches in particular which come to mind for the 24-time Grand Slam champion as the greatest, and they came against his two fiercest opponents.
What are the two greatest matches in Novak Djokovic’s career?
Djokovic became a master of the Grand Slams and has more trophies at these events than any other player apart from Margaret Court. The Australian also has 24 majors to her name.
The former World number one tends to save his best tennis for the four biggest and most prestigious titles on the tennis circuit.
There is perhaps no greater example of this than the two matches Djokovic selected as the greatest of his career: the 2019 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer and his epic 2012 Australian Open showdown against Rafael Nadal.
“It was a match in which he [Federer] was the better player statistically, he won more points and he just had all the stats on his side,” Djokovic told the HEAD Tennis YouTube channel.
“But I just found a way to win in important moments and to play the right shots at the right time. At 40-15 down I just tried to make him play and make him earn his victory. He came to the net.
“I made a passing shot and second match point and he got tight a little bit and I used my momentum. Again it was a very close one very close match, probably the most nerve-wracking match I was ever part of.
“Maybe another one that I would add to that section was the 2012 win in Australian Open against Nadal in the finals. But those two matches stand out as the two greatest matches that I was ever part of.”
Novak Djokovic outlasts Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in two epic matches
In 2012 Djokovic was aiming for his third Australian Open title and first successful defence. He went up against Nadal, who he had beaten six straight times dating back to 2011.
The Spaniard took an early lead before Djokovic roared back to claim sets two and set and three. The Serbian looked stronger in set four, but Nadal edged it on a tiebreak to send the match into a deciding set.
Nadal now had the momentum, and proceeded to open up a 4-2 lead in the final set. But Djokovic refused to give in.
He proceeded to win five of the next six games to seal a 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7(5) 7-5 victory in five hours and 53 minutes, the longest major singles final of all time.
Seven and a half years later in the 2019 Wimbledon final, Djokovic took on Federer, who was bidding for his ninth title at SW19.
Djokovic claimed the first set on a tiebreak before Federer levelled proceedings with a dominant second set. Djokovic regained the lead by winning the third set tiebreak, before Federer snatched set four to send the final into a deciding set.
The fifth set was one for the ages, with the players neck and neck until Federer broke serve to go up 8-7 and serve for the championship. But Djokovic saved two championship points to break straight back.
The pair could not be separated and another tiebreak was played at 12-12. Djokovic won it to complete a hat trick of tiebreaks and emerge with a 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3) win.
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