All eight Djokovic losses at the Australian Open 2005-2018

[Mustard]

It so obvious seeing 2007 AO Federer/2007 USO Federer to 2008 AO Federer. Drastic difference, He was sluggish against Tipsarevic. Should have lost that match.

A new type of hardcourt introduced into the Australian Open in 2008. Plexicushion replacing Rebound Ace.

Poor IW and Miami 2008, he only looked good come Wimbledon 2008+.

It like the year Djokovic had in 2017, playing with a bad elbow. Losing to Cecchinato and Istomin.

It wasn't that bad. Federer looked good for most of the 2008 clay season, aside from some matches like against Gremelmayr and Ramirez Hidalgo, the loss to Stepanek in Rome, but Federer was in good positions against Nadal at Monte Carlo and Hamburg. Admittedly, he got marmalized by Nadal in the French Open final. Federer won Halle and got to the Wimbledon final (11 straight matches on grass) without dropping a set before Nadal beat him in 5 sets in the final.

2007 Federer was losing to Canas twice and Volandri.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

Most of those losses is when Djokovic was a pup. Totally different player 2011-present

 

[Mustard]

Damn, Safin destroyed Djokovic both times they played

I still remember John McEnroe's shock in commentary as Safin dismantled Djokovic at 2008 Wimbledon. That was the start of Djokovic's decline from his initial 2007-2008 rise, a decline that would continue in an up and down way until the spring of 2010 when he had problems with the mechanics of his serve.

tbh Federer should have more wins against Djokovic at the AO too but his body did him dirty with the mono/back injuries in 2008 as mentioned, plus the AO organizers did him dirty by progressively slowing down the courts year after year

Come on. Federer was never close to winning in the 4 matches he lost to Djokovic at the Australian Open. Two of those matches were straight setters, and the other two matches saw 2 crushing sets from Djokovic apiece. The straight setters were the earlier meetings in 2008 and 2011. Federer won a set in both the 2016 and 2020 meetings.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

The 2013-14 matches against Wawrinka were really epic, Stanley could have won both but he was not as clutch in 2013 as he would become later on starting from 2014.

 

[DSH]

Damn, Safin destroyed Djokovic both times they played

tbh Federer should have more wins against Djokovic at the AO too but his body did him dirty with the mono/back injuries in 2008 as mentioned, plus the AO organizers did him dirty by progressively slowing down the courts year after year

Prime Federer vs prime Djokovic in Rebound Ace, 10 matches, who wins?

 

[DSH]

The 2013-14 matches against Wawrinka were really epic, Stanley could have won both but he was not as clutch in 2013 as he would become later on starting from 2014.

Poor Stan was robbed of the win in 2013.

 

[The_Order]

The 2013-14 matches against Wawrinka were really epic, Stanley could have won both but he was not as clutch in 2013 as he would become later on starting from 2014.

Stan copped a bs line call in 2013.. otherwise he'd have won both...

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Stan copped a bs line call in 2013.. otherwise he'd have won both...

Poor Stan was robbed of the win in 2013.

Tbf some of it was his own doing as well. Ot wouldn't have been guaranteed that he'd have served it out after the humongous choke that he managed to produce in set no.2, he was basically outplaying Novak in every department until that point and yet couldn't close out the set to take a 2-0 lead.

 

[tennis_error]

That is certainly true, which is why I've never understood those people who feel that a player not being 100% is taking away from the other player's victory, or not a legitimate loss for the loser. The point is to win on the day, whatever shape that you are both in.

You know that Djokovic's 2015-2016 wins over Nadal are the reason that he leads the head-to-head.

You are such a hypocrite...
It took me 30 seconds of search to confirm that... In endless number of posts you take away importance of Novak's wins over Nadal during 2015/16...

I just couldn't believe what I have read, lol...

 

[Wurm]

Lol! You sound like part of the Excuse Brigade!

Fact is if a player is not *the best* in the world under certain conditions (courts, balls, atmospheric conditions, etc...) then their achievements are not under their own control, they're reliant on whoever is *the best* having an off day/tournament and Federer was still a better hard court player than Novak was at that time... when not suffering with "mono" (I have questions about that, still).

Post-2011 Novak is a slightly different story, particularly on hard courts. That Stan's best tennis was as close as there came to a cheat code for a non-GOAT's chance of beating Novak on clay/hard courts is the one anomaly, and it's not like Novak didn't beat him anyway at the AO in 2013 and 2015.

Anyway, when a GOAT tier player unexpectedly loses a match deep into a slam it's not that often that they've simply been outplayed and thus people start questioning why? The problem is when received wisdom turns into FACT, such as the myth about Federer in the Olympics 2012 final.

 

[GabeT]

Fact is if a player is not *the best* in the world under certain conditions (courts, balls, atmospheric conditions, etc...) then their achievements are not under their own control, they're reliant on whoever is *the best* having an off day/tournament and Federer was still a better hard court player than Novak was at that time... when not suffering with "mono" (I have questions about that, still).

Post-2011 Novak is a slightly different story, particularly on hard courts. That Stan's best tennis was as close as there came to a cheat code for a non-GOAT's chance of beating Novak on clay/hard courts is the one anomaly, and it's not like Novak didn't beat him anyway at the AO in 2013 and 2015.

Anyway, when a GOAT tier player unexpectedly loses a match deep into a slam it's not that often that they've simply been outplayed and thus people start questioning why? The problem is when received wisdom turns into FACT, such as the myth about Federer in the Olympics 2012 final.

Novak began beating Fed in 2007 and it’s been a close rivalry from the beginning. Even in his 2007 USO defeat he had IIRC set points in two sets. Novak was simply the better player at AO

 

[Wurm]

Novak began beating Fed in 2007 and it’s been a close rivalry from the beginning. Even in his 2007 USO defeat he had IIRC set points in two sets. Novak was simply the better player at AO

It doesn't matter if he had set points if he doesn't take them and then loses in straight sets. Going into that 2008 AO match the H2H was 5-1 to Federer and even Novak's one best-of-3 win had a 2-6 set in the middle of it. Merely playing 6 times and Novak causing him problems doesn't make it a close rivalry.

From 2011 Novak has been the man to beat on hard courts, but it was unequivocally Federer from 2004-2010.

For context, by mid-2009 Murray had reached 6-2 in the H2H over Federer and all those wins were on hard courts, it's just one of those two was a beatdown in the 2008 USO final. Even going into the back surgery in 2013 when Murray was leading the H2H 11-9 it was 3-1 to Federer at the slams. When it really mattered.

 

[GabeT]

It doesn't matter if he had set points if he doesn't take them and then loses in straight sets. Going into that 2008 AO match the H2H was 5-1 to Federer and even Novak's one best-of-3 win had a 2-6 set in the middle of it. Merely playing 6 times and Novak causing him problems doesn't make it a close rivalry.

From 2011 Novak has been the man to beat on hard courts, but it was unequivocally Federer from 2004-2010.

For context, by mid-2009 Murray had reached 6-2 in the H2H over Federer and all those wins were on hard courts, it's just one of those two was a beatdown in the 2008 USO final. Even going into the back surgery in 2013 when Murray was leading the H2H 11-9 it was 3-1 to Federer at the slams. When it really mattered.

Not sure what your point is. By AO 08 Novak was playing better against Fed and beat him.

 

[TMF]

Hypothetical Fed is still undefeated. Its known.

kind of sad this is all they have. a few more months and they will all have migrated to the Former Player’s forum

The irony is rich coming from ********* who believe their boy would win hypothetical slams(AO 2022 and USO 2022) but still hasn't learned that Novak was humbled by Medvedev in 2021 USO.

 

[GabeT]

The irony is rich coming from ********* who believe their boy would win hypothetical slams(AO 2022 and USO 2022) but still hasn't learned that Novak was humbled by Medvedev in 2021 USO.

No need to focus on hypothetical slams. Novak has 21 real life slams. Maybe 22 by the weekend? We’ll see

 

[TMF]

Injured or not, when you decide to play and step on the court it's fair game. If you don't want to risk getting defeated in a dominant fashion, stay in the locker room. Otherwise, no excuses.

Federer and his team didn't know he had mono before entering the AO 2008. Federer feeling sluggish and lacks of energy were to believed that he had a cold. Had the doctor knew it was mono infection beforehand, Federer would have not play the AO.

Later in the year at Dubai, Federer announced that his doctor said he must had mono at least 6 weeks. which went way back in December.

Federer also added:
"When I heard it was mono I was actually even more happy to have made the semifinals of the Australian Open, because probably a doctor would have said. 'You're not allowed or can't play,' " Federer said.

 

[TMF]

That is certainly true, which is why I've never understood those people who feel that a player not being 100% is taking away from the other player's victory, or not a legitimate loss for the loser. The point is to win on the day, whatever shape that you are both in.

Read above post. some of you have no idea what's going on back in 2008

 

[TMF]

No need to focus on hypothetical slams. Novak has 21 real life slams. Maybe 22 by the weekend? We’ll see

Yeah, tell that to yourself for stop crying out hypothetical slam wins for NoVac in 2022

 

[GabeT]

Yeah, tell that to yourself for stop crying out hypothetical slam wins for NoVac in 2022

I don’t care much about hypothetical slams. I wish he had gotten vaxxed and played but that’s his decision. He’ll likely end with the slam record in any case

 

[Silverbullet96]

Djokovic got lucky in one of the match in 2008 AO semifinal. 2-time defending champion Federer who was crippled with mono could only play 50% of his original capability

Any blind Djokovic fanboy would denied that Federer wasn't perfectly healthy

They're used to their guy Djokovic making a circus show of his own injuries on the court, so it's understandable that they think when someone isn't interested in doing that, it means they can't be hampered.

And a quick look at the match threads at the time shows that Fed was considered the favorite at the time of the match and if anything doubts of physical condition were expressed about Novak.

Oh wow the match threads, yes definitely those people in there are doctors who Federer had consulted during the tournament. Or could it be that Federer's diagnosis came AFTER AO was over ? Nah, that's IMPOSSIBLE. TTW live commentators being doctors is more believable.

 

[GabeT]

Oh wow the match threads, yes definitely those people in there are doctors who Federer had consulted during the tournament. Or could it be that Federer's diagnosis came AFTER AO was over ? Nah, that's IMPOSSIBLE. TTW live commentators being doctors is more believable.

wow, so people watching the match live couldn’t detect any physical problems at all? Not only during the match in question but throughout the whole slam? Poor Fed. his level must surely have been affected by that terrible disease!!

 

[Silverbullet96]

wow, so people watching the match live couldn’t detect any physical problems at all? Not only during the match in question but throughout the whole slam? Poor Fed. his level must surely have been affected by that terrible disease!!

Not Federer's fault that he's not interested in self pitying and making a Netflix show about his physical issues on the court like your drama queen idol. Let me guess, unless a player is falling over and stumbling in between points he's not hampered, right?

Good job by the way saying that you know better than actual doctors who diagnosed Federer with mononucleosis. Always fun to argue with narcissists.

 

[GabeT]

Not Federer's fault that he's not interested in self pitying and making a Netflix show about his physical issues on the court like your drama queen idol.

Or, and hear me out here, whatever terrible disease he had had NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER on his level of play and that’s why no one at the time could identify it.

 

[Mustard]

You are such a hypocrite...
It took me 30 seconds of search to confirm that... In endless number of posts you take away importance of Novak's wins over Nadal during 2015/16...

I just couldn't believe what I have read, lol...

I was stating a fact. Djokovic leads the head-to-head (a reality), but the 2015-2016 matches enabled that to be possible (also a reality). You object to reality.

 

[Mustard]

Read above post. some of you have no idea what's going on back in 2008

I have every idea, since I've been watching tennis for well over 30 years.

 

[tennis_error]

I was stating a fact. Djokovic leads the head-to-head (a reality), but the 2015-2016 matches enabled that to be possible (also a reality). You object to reality.

Lol, you are hypocrite man ... Accusing other for doing the same... It's not important if you are right or not, that is another topic...

 

[mahatma]

The irony is rich coming from ********* who believe their boy would win hypothetical slams(AO 2022 and USO 2022) but still hasn't learned that Novak was humbled by Medvedev in 2021 USO.

No, TMF, no. There isn’t a single Djokovic fan who lives in hypotheticals. Our player actually still wins slams. Why do we need to live in hypotheticals?

 

[Mustard]

Lol, you are hypocrite man ... Accusing other for doing the same... It's not important if you are right or not, that is another topic...

LOL. I stated facts, and you're objecting.

 

[tennis_error]

LOL. I stated facts, and you're objecting.

Actually, you accused others for doing what you regularly do. Hypocrite!

You know that Djokovic's 2015-2016 wins over Nadal are the reason that he leads the head-to-head.

That is certainly true, which is why I've never understood those people who feel that a player not being 100% is taking away from the other player's victory, or not a legitimate loss for the loser. The point is to win on the day, whatever shape that you are both in.

 

[TMF]

I have every idea, since I've been watching tennis for well over 30 years.

Federer was hammered by mono was real in 2008 AO, but to you nothing should be brought up. Real funny, you as a Nadal fan who brought up so many of Nadal's losses due to injuries .

 

[Mustard]

Federer was hammered by mono was real in 2008 AO, but to you nothing should be brought up. Real funny, you as a Nadal fan who brought up so many of Nadal's losses due to injuries .

I didn't say that nothing should be brought up. I said that once you take to the court, you either find a way to win, fail in the attempt or retire from the match.

Federer wasn't diagnosed with mono until after the 2008 Australian Open as I recall. He had it in Australia, but it was undiagnosed at the time.

 

[TMF]

No, TMF, no. There isn’t a single Djokovic fan who lives in hypotheticals. Our player actually still wins slams. Why do we need to live in hypotheticals?

Oh come on. There's plenty of ********* whined about his deportation in AO and can't travel to the US because he was UNVAX. They believe he would be sitting on 23 slams by now had the govt. allowed him to play at both slams. Same Wimbledon 2020 had the tournament was held. Novak win again(hypothetically).

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

A new type of hardcourt introduced into the Australian Open in 2008. Plexicushion replacing Rebound Ace.


It wasn't that bad. Federer looked good for most of the 2008 clay season, aside from some matches like against Gremelmayr and Ramirez Hidalgo, the loss to Stepanek in Rome, but Federer was in good positions against Nadal at Monte Carlo and Hamburg. Admittedly, he got marmalized by Nadal in the French Open final. Federer won Halle and got to the Wimbledon final (11 straight matches on grass) without dropping a set before Nadal beat him in 5 sets in the final.

2007 Federer was losing to Canas twice and Volandri.

Nadal never lost of set before being destroyed at AO2019 by Djokovic, therefore Nadal was peak.

 

[Mustard]

Nadal never lost of set before being destroyed at AO2019 by Djokovic, therefore Nadal was peak.

Much more variety was needed against Djokovic than what Nadal had done in the previous 6 matches, and Nadal wasn't up to the task on the day. In the semis, Nadal had dismantled Tsitsipas, but Djokovic's dismantling of Pouille was even more one-sided.

 

[TMF]

I didn't say that nothing should be brought up. I said that once you take to the court, you either find a way to win, fail in the attempt or retire from the match.

Federer wasn't diagnosed with mono until after the 2008 Australian Open as I recall. He had it in Australia, but it was undiagnosed at the time.

Fine then. I wish you stay consistent when it comes to Nadal's losses. Like a loss to Stan in 2014 AO, or a loss to Soderling in 2009 FO.

That is certainly true, which is why I've never understood those people who feel that a player not being 100% is taking away from the other player's victory, or not a legitimate loss for the loser. The point is to win on the day, whatever shape that you are both in.

Let's give the player 100% credit for the win rather than taking it away.

 

[MichaelNadal]

The Istomin and Chung matches were glorious

They really are lol, the highlight of Istomins life.

 

[Mustard]

Fine then. I wish you stay consistent when it comes to Nadal's losses. Like a loss to Stan in 2014 AO, or a loss to Soderling in 2009 FO.

The result is the result. You don't have to pretend that both players are 100% or "it takes away from the result".

Let's give the player 100% credit for the win rather than taking it away.

It doesn't take away. The result is the result. If we talk about injuries or illness to players, it's real but tough luck as far as the match result goes.

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

Much more variety was needed against Djokovic than what Nadal had done in the previous 6 matches, and Nadal wasn't up to the task on the day. In the semis, Nadal had dismantled Tsitsipas, but Djokovic's dismantling of Pouille was even more one-sided.

Federer's confidence was very low at W2008 and he had lost a lot of training blocks due to the mono earlier in the year, which is what allowed Nadal to win.

 

[Mustard]

Federer's confidence was very low at W2008 and he had lost a lot of training blocks due to the mono earlier in the year, which is what allowed Nadal to win.

Federer had not dropped a set in the previous 11 grass-court matches.

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

Federer had not dropped a set in the previous 11 grass-court matches.

Nadal destroyed all competition before Djokovic in 2019.

 

[Mustard]

Nadal destroyed all competition before Djokovic in 2019.

But one difference being that Nadal had not won the Australian Open in 10 years, while Federer was the reigning 5-time Wimbledon champion looking to win it for the 6th time in a row.

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

But one difference being that Nadal had not won the Australian Open in 10 years, while Federer was the reigning 5-time Wimbledon champion looking to win it for the 6th time in a row.

Statistically 2008 was one of Federer's worst years on tour. When Federer regained his confidence against Nadal by not playing clay so often, he beat Nadal relatively easily in W2019, that is what 2008 Federer would have done without the mono and lost training block, and higher confidence.

 

[Mustard]

Statistically 2008 was one of Federer's worst years on tour. When Federer regained his confidence against Nadal by not playing clay so often, he beat Nadal relatively easily in W2019, that is what 2008 Federer would have done without the mono and lost training block, and higher confidence.

LOL. That was 11 years later! Nadal, movement wise, was totally different in 2019 compared to 2008. 2017 was Federer's only dominant year over Nadal head-to-head (4-0, 3 of them one-sided). 2007 was the only other year when Federer won most official matches against Nadal (3-2).

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

LOL. That was 11 years later! Nadal, movement wise, was totally different in 2019 compared to 2008. 2017 was Federer's only dominant year over Nadal head-to-head (4-0, 3 of them one-sided). 2007 was the only other year when Federer won most official matches against Nadal (3-2).

LOL, Federer was even more compromised than Nadal in 2019, he was almost 40! Nadal was mid 30s, still close to prime. Nadal was coming off one of his best years at Wimbledon in 2018, yet Federer still handled him relatively easily at Wimbledon.

The early year H2Hs are skewed because Federer continuously played Nadal on clay, but Nadal disappeared in the latter half of the year from 2005 to 2007.

 

[Mustard]

LOL, Federer was even more compromised than Nadal in 2019, he was almost 40! Nadal was mid 30s, still close to prime. Nadal was coming off one of his best years at Wimbledon in 2018, yet Federer still handled him relatively easily at Wimbledon.

Matchup wise, it's better for Nadal in 2008 than 2019. Nadal in 2019 had to be selective with his movement and was shortening points compared to 2008, which did well against the field but not against Federer specifically. Nadal was better against Federer when grinding away, going high to the backhand and using intense movement.

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

Matchup wise, it's better for Nadal in 2008 than 2019. Nadal in 2019 had to be selective with his movement and was shortening points compared to 2008, which did well against the field but not against Federer specifically. Nadal was better against Federer when grinding away, going high to the backhand and using intense movement.

All I'm saying is you can't have it both ways. If you want Federer 2008 to be peak because he hadn't lost a set, then Nadal was peak in 2019 at AO because he hadn't lost a set.

And if your response is it's more nuanced and depends on circumstances, great, then we can massage the argument such that Federer was not peak in 2008 and Nadal was peak in 2019. These will just be biases. Consistency or go home,.

 

[chjtennis]

Was thinking of Hyun Chung the other night while thinking who was the last guy that beat Djokovic at AO. Where is now? No matter which version of Djokovic, it is a big achievement to beat him at AO. Chung has been completely missing in action. I remember he was actually the winner of NextGen tournament which included Rublev and Medvedev.

 

[Deleted member 629564]

Last chance this year for the #9.