In 2015, Novak Djokovic recorded what is arguably the greatest season ever produced by a tennis player.
That year, Djokovic made the final of all four Grand Slams and won three of them, only coming up short at Roland Garros against Stan Wawrinka.
The Serb reached the championship match at every ATP Masters 1000 tournament he appeared at, winning six events at the level, while suffering just two near misses at the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open.
He capped off the phenomenal campaign with a triumph at the ATP Finals, winning the tournament for the fifth time in his career.
At the event, held in London at the time, he met Roger Federer in the final, whom he swept aside in straight sets.
Roger Federer’s reaction to Novak Djokovic’s 2015 season
After losing 6-3, 6-4 in the title bout, Federer faced the media and was asked if Djokovic could possibly repeat what he had accomplished in 2015.
The Swiss legend responded: “It’s hard to do. It’s hard to play at this pace all the time. Doesn’t need much, you know. We’re talking margins.
“You don’t win a breakpoint, he does, vice versa, it changes the whole outcome of the match. You can’t always be on the winning side. Margins are small at the very top.
“That’s why this year of Novak’s is amazing. Rafa [Nadal] has been there. I’ve been there. We both know how hard it is to back it up year after year.
“It’s not the first good year of Novak. Clearly, he’s going into next year with massive confidence. He’s playing great. It’s going to be hard for him to play a bad year, that’s for sure. But this is extremely good; it’s always tough.
“But right now, you would think it is somewhat possible, but you can’t just repeat a year like this. It takes a lot of effort. You’ve got to be physically in shape, no injuries whatsoever. Mentally, you have to be at your peak at all times. It’s not as easy as it seems sometimes.”
Djokovic collected a total of 11 titles in 2015 and tallied a win-loss record of 82-6, while raking in over $18 million in prize money.
While Djokovic has enjoyed a number of successful years since then, most notably in 2021 and 2023, he has not quite been able to replicate his heroics from a decade ago.
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Novak Djokovic’s reaction to his 2015 season on the ATP Tour
After beating Federer in the 2015 ATP Finals, Djokovic said: “It’s been an incredible season.
“I owe a big gratitude and big thanks to my team for preparing me, for allowing me to reach my best when it’s most needed. Even after the Grand Slam season was done, I was still managing to find that freshness and energy to keep on going and keep playing well.
“That’s the key, more or less. I’ve been trying to really pay equal attention to the work and the recovery, as well, mental and physical. It allows me to have longevity. It allows me to have the matches and the tournaments I’ve had in the last couple of years.
“But this season definitely stands out. I can’t say I expected it, not at all. But I always gave my best, and I’m always asking myself the most.
“I was always hoping that I could play this well throughout the entire season. Managing to reach this kind of season and achievement this year obviously gives me a lot of confidence for anything that is coming in the future.”
Djokovic reigned as the world number one for all 52 weeks in 2015, and held the top spot until November 2016.
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