Djokovic was one set away from the CYGS this year - the closest ever since Rod Laver

Cabeza del Demonio

Cabeza del Demonio

Professional
Players who won 3 of the 4 Slams:
Jimmy Connors, 1974: didn't play RG (7 matches away from the Slam)
Mats Wilander, 1988: lost QF at Wimbledon (3 matches away)
Roger Federer, 2004: lost 3R at RG (5 matches away)
Rafael Nadal, 2010: lost QF at AO (3 matches away)
Novak Djokovic, 2011: lost SF at RG (2 matches away)

The only players to be 1 match away from the feat (reached final at the 4th Slam):

Roger Federer, 2006: l. Nadal in 4 (2 sets away)
Roger Federer, 2007: l. Nadal in 4 (2 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2015: l. Wawrinka in 4 (2 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2021: l. Medvedev in 3 (3 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2023: l. Alcaraz in 5 (1 set away)

At 36 years old.

Sit back and enjoy, folks. We are witnessing history in real-time.
 
nolefam_2024

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
Most responses here will be like.

This is 1 millionth thread on this.

And then going technical. He was not close to CYGS because he didn't win first three slams blah blah blah
 
TripleATeam

TripleATeam

G.O.A.T.
I wouldn't argue if you had said 'Djokovic was one set off from the CYGS', but you said 'one set away'. He wasn't. He was 1 set and 7 matches from it.

The reason the distinction is important is first and foremost because of draws. Alcaraz's points gave him #1 seed at the USO, which Djokovic would have in a CYGS chase. In that hypothetical scenario, Djokovic needs to go through Zverev, Medvedev, and Alcaraz all in a row. And not only that, he needs to avoid the pressure that kept him from winning even a single set in the 2021 final.

Does he do it? Potentially, but we'll never know. He wasn't a set from succeeding, he was a set from continuing his attempt.
 
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M

Milanez82

Hall of Fame
Since Laver the only actual attempt at CYGS was by Djokovic in 2021.

Next closest was Djokovic again this year at Wimbledon falling well short.
 
L

Lauren_Girl'

Hall of Fame
nachiket nolefam said:
Most responses here will be like.

This is 1 millionth thread on this.

And then going technical. He was not close to CYGS because he didn't win first three slams blah blah blah
Click to expand...

But we don't know what would've happened if he'd won Wimbledon. He would've been seeded 1 instead of 2. Maybe wouldn't have played Cincinnati like in 2021. Different draw. More pressure. I don't think it's fair to say he was 1 set away. He was 22 sets away. That's why I laughed so hard at Nadal fans who were dreaming of CYGS in 2022. They couldn't stop whining after his Wimbledon walkover... as if he was anywhere close to the CYGS. He still needed 9 matchs, 27 sets.

Djokovic was 1 match away in 2021, and it's just 1 more thing that makes him look better than Fedal. He was 1 match away.
Nadal's longest run ended in the Semi of Wimbledon. 9 matches.
Federer's longest run ended in 2006 and 2007. 15 matches.

Djokovic still won 4 Slams in a row in 2015-2016 and was 1 match away from doing it twice in 2011-2012. and that's something Nadal was never close to have. He still needed 3 matches (AO 2011, quarterfinal)
Federer was 1 match away twice but he never won the 28th match, unlike Djokovic.
 
B

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
nachiket nolefam said:
Most responses here will be like.

This is 1 millionth thread on this.

And then going technical. He was not close to CYGS because he didn't win first three slams blah blah blah
Click to expand...
It's true though. He was 8 matches away when it became an impossiblity. That's much different than losing in the USO final and a player is truly one match away. Likewise, Hingis was 15 matches away in 1997. But, I guess you can say he was "one match short" of a CYSG which is true, but he wasn't "one match away."
 
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C

ChrisJR3264

Hall of Fame
hell secure AO and Wimbledon next year for sure. I would say he may play less tourneys to get the Olympic gold.
I think if I’m projecting it correctly :

- AO: Novak
- French: alcaraz
- Wimbledon: Novak
- Olympics: Novak
- USO: med/sinner/rune/zverev ( one of the 3)
 
AO13

AO13

Hall of Fame
The only man close to achieving CYGS is Novak Djokovic in 2021. He stumbled on the last step - lost to Daniil Medvedev in the finals of US Open 2021.

Roger Federer in 2006 and 2007, as well as Novak Djokovic in 2015 were 15 matches away - they lost in the finals of Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic this year, on the other hand, was 8 matches away - he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of Wimbledon.
 
BeatlesFan

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
nachiket nolefam said:
Most responses here will be like.

This is 1 millionth thread on this.

And then going technical. He was not close to CYGS because he didn't win first three slams blah blah blah
Click to expand...
None of it is "blah, blah, blah," it's the truth. Being one set away from the CYGS is winning 2 sets in the USO final after having won the first three slams of the year.

Period.

Claiming otherwise shows stupidity or mendacity.
 
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B

bigbadboaz

Semi-Pro
Nothing counts except actually achieving it. That's why it's so difficult, and that's why it's the ultimate achievement in the sport.
 
nolefam_2024

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
All these comments are indicative. People here think it's easy to achieve perfection. Having absolutely no freaking idea.

Nole this year was closest to the perfection.
 
pirhaksar

pirhaksar

Professional
nachiket nolefam said:
Most responses here will be like.

This is 1 millionth thread on this.

And then going technical. He was not close to CYGS because he didn't win first three slams blah blah blah
Click to expand...
Well had he won Wimby, what guarantee is it that he would win USO? What if 2021 pressure sinks him again? Besides with a Wimby win he would be seeded one and likely get a different draw at USO open. So many unknowns….i still think he was closest in 2021 but he crumbled against a red hot Med.
 
CoolCoolCool

CoolCoolCool

Hall of Fame
a8c73b53-0ca6-459c-bff6-4ef9093c7ce2_text.gif
 
T

tex123

Hall of Fame
pirhaksar said:
Thankfully you don’t get to determine that. Yes in your headspace sure, have at it
Click to expand...
It IS the weakest era in the history of the game.

Djokovic has no rivals. He should've had 2 x CYGS by now but his own stupidity cost him. Nadal came back from a long injury and in his very first tournament, he won (AO). He had no right to win that. That's how bad Djokovic's rivals are.

Nadal followed it up by beating Djokovic at the FO and win it.

As soon as Djokovic gets an equal, he doesn't win as much. He won W because Nadal withdrew after beating Fritz. Since then he's had no rivals. For a year and a half, he's had a free ride.

Same story in 2021. No rivals as Nadal was injured.

He's just making up numbers.
 
pirhaksar

pirhaksar

Professional
tex123 said:
It IS the weakest era in the history of the game.

Djokovic has no rivals. He should've had 2 x CYGS by now but his own stupidity cost him. Nadal came back from a long injury and in his very first tournament, he won (AO). He had no right to win that. That's how bad Djokovic's rivals are.

Nadal followed it up by beating Djokovic at the FO and win it.

As soon as Djokovic gets an equal, he doesn't win as much. He won W because Nadal withdrew after beating Fritz. Since then he's had no rivals. For a year and a half, he's had a free ride.

Same story in 2021. No rivals as Nadal was injured.

He's just making up numbers.
Click to expand...
Ok
 
T

tex123

Hall of Fame
Biotic said:
:laughing:
Click to expand...
2022 AO - Nadal (Djokovic deported)
2022 FO - Nadal after beating Djokovic
2022 W - Nadal withdrew after defeating Fritz in QF


He was the man riding on confidence. What makes you think Djokovic would've won that? Djokovic needed the roof closed in 2018 to win.
 
jl809

jl809

Legend
I’d argue he was one point away really. Had he won the set point in set 2, that would have been it
 
L

Lauren_Girl'

Hall of Fame
tex123 said:
2022 AO - Nadal (Djokovic deported)
2022 FO - Nadal after beating Djokovic
2022 W - Nadal withdrew after defeating Fritz in QF


He was the man riding on confidence. What makes you think Djokovic would've won that? Djokovic needed the roof closed in 2018 to win.
Click to expand...

Fritz was also injured in the Wimbledon QF, just both players were injured in the IW final. Funny how this little detail is always left out. A non-injured Nadal lost in straight sets against him a few weeks later in Torino. Nadal dropped a set against Ricardas Berankis and clay specialist Cerundolo in that Wimbledon, what makes you think he would've beaten Kyrgios and Djokovic back to back? An injured Djokovic won the first set with an open roof in 2007 and demolished him in the 2011 final with an open roof..., the idea that he needs the roof closed to win on grass is quite silly.
 
T

tex123

Hall of Fame
Lauren_Girl' said:
Fritz was also injured in the Wimbledon QF, just both players were injured in the IW final. Funny how this little detail is always left out. A non-injured Nadal lost in straight sets against him a few weeks later in Torino. Nadal dropped a set against Ricardas Berankis and clay specialist Cerundolo in that Wimbledon, what makes you think he would've beaten Kyrgios and Djokovic back to back? An injured Djokovic won the first set with an open roof in 2007 and demolished him in the 2011 final with an open roof..., the idea that he needs the roof closed to win on grass is quite silly.
Click to expand...
You mean like a cut in Fritz finger or what? At least be honest. Nadal ended his participation for a year and a half after withdrawing against Fritz. It was a serious injury. Funny how people make silly arguments.

How many slams did Kyrgios and Djokovic win in the run up to W that year? Who had two slams under his belt that year in the run up? The losses you mention were maybe his injuries catching up with him slowly. If Djokovic was so supreme at W then explain why he needed the roof closed to register a scoreline like this - 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 10-8

You are simply muddying the waters here. The point is - the moment his equals show up, Djokovic train grinds to a halt. He needs the weakgens to make up numbers.
 
P

PMChambers

Hall of Fame
Mac said if he won FO 84 so had FO, Wim & US he'd have gone to AO to get the CYGS. I think Borg implied the same as he had FO & Wim several times. I think Borg said he'd go to the AO if Mac had 3 Majors in a year.
So counting 3/4 majors is pointless unless you count them in order, dependant o AO is 1st or 4th.
 
jl809

jl809

Legend
Lauren_Girl' said:
Fritz was also injured in the Wimbledon QF, just both players were injured in the IW final. Funny how this little detail is always left out. A non-injured Nadal lost in straight sets against him a few weeks later in Torino. Nadal dropped a set against Ricardas Berankis and clay specialist Cerundolo in that Wimbledon, what makes you think he would've beaten Kyrgios and Djokovic back to back? An injured Djokovic won the first set with an open roof in 2007 and demolished him in the 2011 final with an open roof..., the idea that he needs the roof closed to win on grass is quite silly.
Click to expand...
Talking about sets dropped in early rounds as a measure of level at Wimbledon 2022, when Djokovic lost 4 sets to Kwon, TvR and Sinner and was even still dropping them in the SF to Cameron Fackin Norrie :unsure:
 
L

Lauren_Girl'

Hall of Fame
tex123 said:
You mean like a cut in Fritz finger or what? At least be honest. Nadal ended his participation for a year and a half after withdrawing against Fritz. It was a serious injury. Funny how people make silly arguments.

How many slams did Kyrgios and Djokovic win in the run up to W that year? Who had two slams under his belt that year in the run up? The losses you mention were maybe his injuries catching up with him slowly. If Djokovic was so supreme at W then explain why he needed the roof closed to register a scoreline like this - 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 10-8

You are simply muddying the waters here. The point is - the moment his equals show up, Djokovic train grinds to a halt. He needs the weakgens to make up numbers.
Click to expand...

No, Fritz had a serious knee injury in Wimbledon. He called 2 MTO during the match and admitted he was hampered. He withdrew from a 250 2 weeks after Wimbledon. It's completely silly to bring up that Nadal-Fritz Wimbledon match and mention Nadal's injury if you leave out that both players were injured. Again, a healthy Nadal lost 7-6 6-1 against a healthy a few weeks later. Fritz is a bad matchup for Nadal.

Nadal hasn't beaten Djokovic off clay since September 2013, you know that right? He's lost 10 consecutive matches between Shanghaï 2013 and their last encounter in Sydney 2020. Most of those 10 matches ended with a very straight score. The idea that a 7 times Wimbledon winner (who hasn't lost off clay against him in 10 years... who hasn't lost a match on the centre court of Wimbledon in TEN YEARS) needs a roof to win is what's silly. It's as silly as saying Djokovic would have beaten Nadal in RG 2013 or RG 2014 if the conditions were colder.

jl809 said:
Talking about sets dropped in early rounds as a measure of level at Wimbledon 2022, when Djokovic lost 4 sets to Kwon, TvR and Sinner and was even still dropping them in the SF to Cameron Fackin Norrie
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Context is everything. I can agree about Kwon (though he won 2 titles, Berankis 0) on some level, but... You're really comparing Sinner, Norrie (a Masters1000 winner and top-10) and TVR (who won a tournament obliterating 3 top-10 Fritz, Auger and Medvedev the week before Wimbledon and reached the 4th round without dropping a single serve) to ... Ricardas Berankis a 30 years old who never even won a 250? lol. Thanks for the laugh.
 
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tennisjedi

tennisjedi

Hall of Fame
Novak has achieved almost all the 3 slam 1 final combos.

AO, F, W, USO
AO RG, F, USO
AO, RG W, F

Will Novak lose an AO final but win the next three slams in 2024?
 
ghostofMecir

ghostofMecir

Legend
Cabeza del Demonio said:
Players who won 3 of the 4 Slams:
Jimmy Connors, 1974: didn't play RG (7 matches away from the Slam)
Mats Wilander, 1988: lost QF at Wimbledon (3 matches away)
Roger Federer, 2004: lost 3R at RG (5 matches away)
Rafael Nadal, 2010: lost QF at AO (3 matches away)
Novak Djokovic, 2011: lost SF at RG (2 matches away)

The only players to be 1 match away from the feat (reached final at the 4th Slam):

Roger Federer, 2006: l. Nadal in 4 (2 sets away)
Roger Federer, 2007: l. Nadal in 4 (2 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2015: l. Wawrinka in 4 (2 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2021: l. Medvedev in 3 (3 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2023: l. Alcaraz in 5 (1 set away)

At 36 years old.

Sit back and enjoy, folks. We are witnessing history in real-time.
Click to expand...

Technically Federer was two sets away in 2009 (i.e., fifth set at the Australian open, and the fifth set at the U.S. Open). He really messed up both matches.
 
T

TMF

Talk Tennis Guru
Cabeza del Demonio said:
Players who won 3 of the 4 Slams:
Jimmy Connors, 1974: didn't play RG (7 matches away from the Slam)
Mats Wilander, 1988: lost QF at Wimbledon (3 matches away)
Roger Federer, 2004: lost 3R at RG (5 matches away)
Rafael Nadal, 2010: lost QF at AO (3 matches away)
Novak Djokovic, 2011: lost SF at RG (2 matches away)

The only players to be 1 match away from the feat (reached final at the 4th Slam):

Roger Federer, 2006: l. Nadal in 4 (2 sets away)
Roger Federer, 2007: l. Nadal in 4 (2 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2015: l. Wawrinka in 4 (2 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2021: l. Medvedev in 3 (3 sets away)
Novak Djokovic, 2023: l. Alcaraz in 5 (1 set away)

At 36 years old.

Sit back and enjoy, folks. We are witnessing history in real-time.
Click to expand...

But Nadal 2006-2007 French Open is vastly superior tiny Alcaraz on grass.

And Nadal 2006-2007 Wimbledon is much better than Alcacramp at the FO.

Competition matters and Djokovic was playing in a weak era
 
jm1980

jm1980

Talk Tennis Guru
The closest anyone's come to the CYGS since 1969 was Djokovic in 2021, when he was one match away

In 2023, he was 8 matches away
 
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