What was Djokovic's most heartbreaking loss?

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StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
I can't think of any examples to be honest. Nadal had Wimbledon 2018 semifinal, Federer had Wimbledon 2019. These are more than just heartbreaking losses, these are matches which they lost only because of lack of mental strength. But I can't find any examples of Djokovic losing a match where he was the better player and "should" have won. The fact that some of his fans are crying about RG 2013 (a match where he was outplayed completely. No normal tennis fan will ever claim he was the better player in this match) just proves that he didn't really have heartbreaking losses in his career. But still, what was the MOST heartbreaking?
 
In slam RG 2013 or Us open 2013 ( how he manage to lost 3rd set in US open final I never understood)
 
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StrongRule said:
I can't think of any examples to be honest. Nadal had Wimbledon 2018 semifinal, Federer had Wimbledon 2019. These are more than just heartbreaking losses, these are matches which they lost only because of lack of mental strength. But I can't find any examples of Djokovic losing a match where he was the better player and "should" have won. The fact that some of his fans are crying about RG 2013 (a match where he was outplayed completely. No normal tennis fan will ever claim he was the better player in this match) just proves that he didn't really have heartbreaking losses in his career. But still, what was the MOST heartbreaking?
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If you think at RG 2013 he was outplayed completely, we have nothing to discuss.
 
TheAssassin said:
Yeah, because you have to be a "better player" in a loss for the loss to be considered "heartbreaking"... :cautious:
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Not necessary. I just say it's not on the same level. You can't compare RG 2013 to what happened yesterday or to Wimbledon 2018. That's different things.
 
StrongRule said:
Yeah, and in both matches we was totally outplayed. RG 2013 shouldn't have been so close, but still Nadal was much better in the fifth set. Well, this proves my point that he never had real heartbreaking losses, at least in slams.
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2015 was insanely close. Nole was 4-3, 0-40 up and lost three break points. Lost another break back point as Stan served for the match. Insanely high level from both in sets 3 and 4.
 
OhYes said:
If you think at RG 2013 he was outplayed completely, we have nothing to discuss.
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Take a look at the stats, Nadal was significantly better everywhere. Also, Nadal should have won that one in 4 sets but he choked. And still he was the better player in the fifth set. Djokovic didn't do anything wrong in this set except for that point where he touched the net, other than that he was simply outplayed. Yes, touching the net was a bad error, but it wasn't a choke by any means.
 
StrongRule said:
Not necessary. I just say it's not on the same level. You can't compare RG 2013 to what happened yesterday or to Wimbledon 2018. That's different things.
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I can, Djokovic actually led by a break in the decider and smashed himself into the net on a big point. Nadal "only" had break points at Wimbledon.

Yesterday could have been heartbreaking for Djokovic as well, although I am sure you would have argued otherwise, because he was "outplayed". :whistle:
 
Benjamin Rio said:
RG 2013: Novak had the break and lost it on

That's heartbreaking.
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TheAssassin said:
I can, Djokovic actually led by a break in the decider and smashed himself into the net on a big point. Nadal "only" had break points at Wimbledon.

Yesterday could have been heartbreaking for Djokovic as well, although I am sure you would have argued otherwise, because he was "outplayed". :whistle:
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Well, first of all let's admit he should have lost in 4, just like Nadal should have lost in AO 2012. And yes, he was up a break but he didn't choke it. Touching the net was a bad error, but other than that Nadal just starting hitting winners from all over the court. That was some very high level tennis from Nadal in this set.
 
Surprised nobody mentioned Madrid 2009 semifinal so far. I think that one should have been more heartbreaking than RG 2013 or RG 2015, even though it wasn't a slam. In this one I can even agree Djokovic played better during most of the match.
 
StrongRule said:
Surprised nobody mentioned Madrid 2009 semifinal so far. I think that one should have been more heartbreaking than RG 2013 or RG 2015, even though it wasn't a slam. In this one I can even agree Djokovic played better during most of the match.
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Who cares about Madrid?
 
StrongRule said:
Well, first of all let's admit he should have lost in 4, just like Nadal should have lost in AO 2012. And yes, he was up a break but he didn't choke it. Touching the net was a bad error, but other than that Nadal just starting hitting winners from all over the court. That was some very high level tennis form him.
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Sure, he should have. But that doesn't forbid us to talk about what happened after. It would have been crushing for Nadal as well if he lost it from the position he was in.

And did Nadal choke at Wimbledon? Djokovic sent unreturnable serves and a passing shot on those break points in the 5th if my memory is good. Same goes for the set points he had to save in the 3rd set tiebreak, he earned those points.
 
weakera said:
2015 was insanely close. Nole was 4-3, 0-40 up and lost three break points. Lost another break back point as Stan served for the match. Insanely high level from both in sets 3 and 4.
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Wawrinka saved these break points himself though, Djokovic didn't really do anything wrong. The most clutch play I have ever seen from Wawrinka. In the last game Djokovic missed the break point with an unforced error though.
 
StrongRule said:
Wawrinka saved these break points himself though, Djokovic didn't really do anything wrong. The most clutch play I have ever seen from Wawrinka. In the last game Djokovic missed the break point with an unforced error though.
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That doesn't make it not heart breaking. Nole played a great tournament and had the misfortune of encountering peak Stanimal.
 
TheAssassin said:
Sure, he should have. But that doesn't forbid us to talk about what happened after. It would have been crushing for Nadal as well if he lost it from the position he was in.

And did Nadal choke at Wimbledon? Djokovic sent unreturnable serves and a passing shot on those break points in the 5th if my memory is good. Same goes for the set points he had to save in the 3rd set tiebreak, he earned those points.
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There are lots of points which Nadal could play better in that third set tie break. Tactical errors are harder to take than actual errors. And rushing the net on that break point in the fifth set was unforgivable. He rushed it from the baseline. It hurts because he had great chances in all sets except the first one but didn't take them. Djokovic in RG 2013 only "missed" some chances in the fifth set, and that's after he won the fourth set by a miracle.
 
Well, I've never seen Djokovic cry like Olympics 2016 so to him it's probably that loss. Even the RG 2015 loss he didn't show this much emotion

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RG 2013 and 2015, both in their special way.

2013 was his best clay level of his career and he had the chance to win, but then Smashovic happened.

2015 because he finally beat Nadal (in 3 sets lol) and lost his first GS final after winning the 1st set.
 
StrongRule said:
There are lots of points which Nadal could play better in that third set tie break. Tactical errors are harder to take than actual errors. And rushing the net on that break point in the fifth set was unforgivable. He rushed it from the baseline. It hurts because he had great chances in all sets except the first one but didn't take them. Djokovic in RG 2013 only "missed" some chances in the fifth set, and that's after he won the fourth set by a miracle.
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I mean Novak lost many opportunities as well in that SF at wimbledon 2018. It could have been 3 sets as well.
 
Cortana said:
RG 2013 and 2015, both in their special way.

2013 was his best clay level of his career and he had the chance to win, but then Smashovic happened.

2015 because he finally beat Nadal (in 3 sets lol) and lost his first GS final after winning the 1st set.
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Nadal had his worst year in 2015. They all had such periods, no need to laugh at that. When Djokovic was out of form he lost in straight sets to Thiem with a bagel. Also, Djokovic already lost RG 2014 final after winning the first set.
 
StrongRule said:
There are lots of points which Nadal could play better in that third set tie break. Tactical errors are harder to take than actual errors. And rushing the net on that break point in the fifth set was unforgivable. He rushed it from the baseline. It hurts because he had great chances in all sets except the first one but didn't take them. Djokovic in RG 2013 only "missed" some chances in the fifth set, and that's after he won the fourth set by a miracle.
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That same net rush earned him the crucial break in the 4th set. Looking back now obviously you can say it wasn't the best choice because Djokovic hit the passing shot. But he was under immense pressure to make it.

Looking at the matches alone, I'd say Nadal's loss in 2012 Australia was worse. Yes, he should have lost it in 4, but he was up a break in the decider, looked like the better player at that point, and missed that backhand pass. In the long term though obviously 2018 Wimbledon probably stung more because all of you wanted that one more Wimbledon a lot, while I think it probably wasn't the same feeling about Australian Open back then.
 
Long-term it's 2012 Olympics actually. If Djo ends up with no Olympic title, that's why. It was a pretty close semi but Murray played a very clutch match. If Novak wins, he beats tired Fed in the final for sure.
 
With Djokovic he had tough losses at the time, in hindsight after he won everything and avenged a lot of things, he hasn't had any tough losses when you look back from the present.

I'm sure in general 2012-2014 was a tough period, losing more slam finals than winning.
 
BGod said:
I agree he doesn't have many. 2013 French is #1 though. Don't understand people saying Nadal outplayed him so much and it should have been 4 sets. Fact is it ended 7-9 in the 5th.
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Novak had to suffer a lost from his former trainer in the middle of the tournament. He was playing amazing.
 
@StrongRule
As weird as it seems it happened exactly 4 years after this thread of yours. His loss against Alcaraz at 2023 Wimb F was heartbreaking. He was the better player in 3 sets and lost the second set in the TB in an unbelievable way which was almost unprecedented, netting a routine BH TWICE in that TB.
 
RG13, RG15, US12, US14 (how come he lost to nishikori??), US20, US21, wimby23.

Olympics 08,12,16, 20
 
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RG13 SF or AO 2014 QF when it comes to slams. He never held a match point in either but the matches were very close and high level stuff. He basically lost out on narrowest of margins. A very close long 5th set in both. It still nowhere near as bad as what happened to Fed or sinner though.
 
ebar86 said:
RG13, RG15, US12, US14 (how come he lost to nishikori??), US20, US21, wimby23.

Olympics 08,12,16
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Us 20', Olympics 2020, Rg 2020 as was the favourite and being Bagelled and was a bit shell shocked at the end.

Rg 22 as again labelled the favourite coming in as the defending champion and Nadal was already taken to 5 sets by FAA and against aging 36 yr old injection foot Nadal. Again a bit shell shocked at the end.

AO 2024 was a pretty unexpected result too and was pretty angry with his box most of the match and coming in as defending champ and Yec holder in one of his best seasons.
 
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