Who had the better Slam seasons by level: Federer in 2018-19 or Djokovic in 2024-25?

Higher level in slams: Federer 2018-19 or Djokovic 2024-25?

  • Total voters
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AnOctorokForDinner

AnOctorokForDinner

Talk Tennis Guru
Results and scores:

2018 Federer:
AO W, beat Cilic 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1
RG DNP
WB QF, lost to Anderson 2-6 6-7(5) 7-5 6-4 13-11
USO 4R, lost to Millman 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) 7-6(3)

2019 Federer:
AO 4R, lost to Tsitsipas 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5)
RG SF, lost to Nadal 6-3 6-4 6-2
WB F, lost to Djokovic 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3)
USO QF, lost to Dimitrov 3-6 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-2

2024 Djokovic:
AO SF, lost to Sinner 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3
RG QF, w/o
WB F, lost to Alcaraz 6-2 6-2 7-6(4)
USO 3R, lost to Popyrin 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4

2025 Djokovic:
AO SF, lost to Zverev 7-6(5) ret.
RG SF, lost to Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6(3)
WB SF, lost to Sinner 6-3 6-3 6-4
USO SF, lost to Alcaraz 6-4 7-6(4) 6-2

Fred was less consistent but won a slam and was a point away from winning another one over Djokodal. Djoak reached Sinraz five times but got generally dominated in his losses with just one set won (and just one break for him in each match except AO SF which had zero BPs altogether). Which do you value higher? As usual, share your most valuable insights, lal.
 
AnOctorokForDinner said:
Results and scores:

2018 Federer:
AO W, beat Cilic 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1
RG DNP
WB QF, lost to Anderson 2-6 6-7(5) 7-5 6-4 13-11
USO 4R, lost to Millman 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) 7-6(3)

2019 Federer:
AO 4R, lost to Tsitsipas 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5)
RG SF, lost to Nadal 6-3 6-4 6-2
WB F, lost to Djokovic 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3)
USO QF, lost to Dimitrov 3-6 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-2

2024 Djokovic:
AO SF, lost to Sinner 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3
RG QF, w/o
WB F, lost to Alcaraz 6-2 6-2 7-6(4)
USO 3R, lost to Popyrin 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4

2025 Djokovic:
AO SF, lost to Zverev 7-6(5) ret.
RG SF, lost to Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6(3)
WB SF, lost to Sinner 6-3 6-3 6-4
USO SF, lost to Alcaraz 6-4 7-6(4) 6-2

Fred was less consistent but won a slam and was a point away from winning another one over Djokodal. Djoak reached Sinraz five times but got generally dominated in his losses with just one set won (and just one break for him in each match except AO SF which had zero BPs altogether). Which do you value higher? As usual, share your most valuable insights, lal.
Click to expand...
2018 Fed V 2024 Djoker:
AO - Fed clearly, Djoko was pisspoor the whole tourney and honestly could have lost to Popyrin in R2
RG - Djoko by default though he had to struggle through Moose and Cerundolo
WB - Fed a bit better in the earlier rounds, Djoko with a walkover to reach the SF anyways and having a mediocre draw. Neither were in proper winning form with Fed's hand and Djoko's knee, call it a tie.
USO - Fed a bit better, though both were in the dumpsters. Fed succumbing to the humidity and not having a forehand until Dubai 2019, Djoko forgetting to take his serve with him from Paris.

2019 Fed V 2025 Djoker:
AO - Djoko modestly, by now I think you can tell of my disdain for Fed's level between Halle 18 - Dubai 19. The dude delivered the worst breakpointer performance of his career (0/12 against citybus ROFLMAO) and struggled to hit a forehand beyond the service box. Djok looked pretty good against Lehecka and Machac and was solid against Alcs despite the hammy tear.
RG - Tight one here. Feddy took care of early round competition with ease and played a pretty good match with Wawrinka in the Quarters, Djok the same as well with a solid win over Zverev in the quarters. Fed got screwed by the wind in the SF and IMO would have made it closer in normal conditions, albeit still losing. Djok played an excellent match in a hard fought 3 set battle against Sinner. Would give this one a tie, but could see an argument for a slight edge to Djoker.
WB - Fed by a country mile, especially after Djoko got injured at the end of the Cobolli QF.
USO - Tight one again. Fed looked better pre-injury but sadly tweaked his back in the Dimi match. Goes to Djok slightly.

Ended up voting Fed modestly, both had superior tourneys to each other in certain cases but I think the gap in quality of runs is bigger in favour of Fed than Nole.
 
The fact that Fed was 1 point from winning Wimbledon favor him. Novak hasn't come remotely close this year. Novak has been the David Ferrer of 2025. A punching bag for the top guys.
 
Federer!

I always defended Djokovic's level when even his 2021 or 2023 form was criticized, but since 2024 he's in a clear decline, even though those SFs weren't too bad and Federer had more losses to nobodies.

But in 2024/25 Djokovic didn't play a single Slam as good as Federer's 2018 AO (reaching the final without losing a set) and Wimbledon 2019 (great performance over the whole tournament, would have deserved the title).

From the options I'd choose "modestly" then (not "clearly" because of the drops in level, like the Millman match).
 
I think Fed's 2018 was better than Novak's 2024 and 2019/2025 is pretty much a wash. Novak has probably been more consistent overall sans the USO 2024 loss but he doesn't have anything that quite touches AO 2018 or W 2019 (also debatable if any of his Slam runs in this period were even better than RG 2019 - I won't make that case but it is not out of the question). That kinda tips the scales for me.
 
Novak has more junk volume/consistency but he hasn't remotely been competitive in losses so it's obviously Federer as he actually had 2 good (relative to the competition) runs and a third that was at least as good as anything Djokovic has done in the last 2 years.

Novak is already in worse shape competitiveness wise vs Sinneraz than Fed of 20 AO against Djoko (who was better than Sinneraaz), If Noel keeps up his punchless doormat form for another year rather than crapping out as Fed did we can at least give him the nominal longevity win.
 
tennnisfanatic said:
The fact that Fed was 1 point from winning Wimbledon favor him. Novak hasn't come remotely close this year. Novak has been the David Ferrer of 2025. A punching bag for the top guys.
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yeah and the funny part is that he's been the David Ferrer of the year against glorified David Ferrer's. Ferrerception.
 
Yeah, always funny seeing Fedloving simps trying to tilt yet another uncalled for argument Federer's way. In reality Djokovic lost to much much better players on average with a couple more injury related losses. Federer doesn't get bonus points for barely pulling through Cilic in a pitiful semi-cheating manner.
 
Djokovic's 0 sets won past the QF stage this season and crushing defeat to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon Final in 2024 tell the whole story.

His grand slam competitiveness is an illusion, no different than something like David Ferrer in 2013. He may appear close to the trophy, but in reality, he isn't. He just goes as far as the draws allow him to.
 
Djokovic lost to future ATGs in Sinner and Alcaraz. Federer lost to freaking clowns like Tsitsipas, Dimitrov and Millman. You know what the answer is.
 
helterskelter said:
@AnOctorokForDinner I’d be happy to answer the question if I knew what it meant. What is “level”?

Also, why don't you include Nadal 2023/2024 in this equation? Do you hate questions with obvious answers these days? :unsure:
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Because 2024 Nadal was an unstoppable force of nature. He was so great he chose to tank his matches not to inflict an unbearable shame in the career of players losing to an old man.
 
Sport said:
Because 2024 Nadal was an unstoppable force of nature. He was so great he chose to tank his matches not to inflict an unbearable shame in the career of players losing to an old man.
Click to expand...

That's what I meant when saying that maybe @AnOctorokForDinner is opposed to asking obvious questions. Why ask, "Who was better out of Federer 18/19, Nadal 23/24, or Djokovic 24/25?" when Nadal was so much better than the others overall that neither ever scored a single moral victory against him? Given that, it's obvious that Nadal 23/24 was the best of the three by far.
 
for me Federer, not by much though.

if we look at every slam:
AO: fed >= djoko, very close IMO(in 2024 djoko lost to eventual champion sinner while having an ok draw meanwhile fed won AO 2018 but the draw was easy. in 2025 djokovic beat at 37 years and 8 months old future ATG alcaraz in the QF, meanwhile fed lost to tsitsipas).

RG: djoko > fed, slightly (djoko got a QF in 2024 and a SF in 2025, meanwhile Fed "only" a SF in 2019. novak played a pretty competitive match to sinner, meanwhile roger played a good match against rafa).

WB: fed > djoko, clearly (2018 fed and 2025 novak are pretty similar to me, but 2025 could have been higher if not for injury in the QF perhaps being troublesome to eventual champion sinner. then we have 2019 F which is way better than 2024 F, roger beat rafa in 4 sets, outplayed nole in the F meanwhile novak got a QF w/o and no top 10 opponents beaten en route to the F. ).

USO: novak > roger, slightly (novak in 2024 was still partying for gold medal, he even doesnt know why he went to NY meanwhile roger lost against millman in 4R. 2025 novak reached SF losing to eventual champion Alcaraz as fed lost in QF against dimitrov).


Overall roger takes it, he had higher peaks and i think wimbledon 2019 at 37 years and 11 months old basically carries him and puts him slightly ahead of nole, who has been more consistent though, reaching 1F and 5 SF in 8 slams that he played.

One last thing i would like to note is that throughout these periods novak was 2 and a half months older than roger, which might have (or maybe not, we will never know) had an impact on some risults considering that we are analysing careers at extremely advanced age.

HM: atp finals 2019 roger beat nole in RR
 
Biotic said:
Yeah, always funny seeing Fedloving simps trying to tilt yet another uncalled for argument Federer's way. In reality Djokovic lost to much much better players on average with a couple more injury related losses. Federer doesn't get bonus points for barely pulling through Cilic in a pitiful semi-cheating manner.
Click to expand...
Most have acknowledged that Djokovic has been more consistent. But Fed also won a title and was a point away from another against the defending and then-four-time, now-seven-time champ. That’s a hell of a lot closer than Novak has come, you have to admit.
 
Why not widen it out to who had better slam seasons Roger 17-19 or Novak 23-25, as they were both 35 at start of these seasons.

Roger won 3 slams and also was R/U in another. He also reach another SF at RG 2019.

Novak won 3 slams but was r/u in another 2 and a SF in another 5.

Novak's record looks much stronger now.

This is why a lot of posts are kind of pointless, we could even break it down further by each individual year, say who had better 2017, 18, 19 and so on.

The fact is in their 30's Roger only won 4 slams I think He collected 16/20 (80%) in his 20's , all under age of 29.

Novak was more versatile. He picked up 12 in his 20's and 12 in his 30's.

Now an initial look, might indicate Roger peaked younger and perhaps had higher peak than Novak, but that Novak had much greater endurance & Longevity.

However, that is if you only look at the stats with no context.

There is a whole lot of other issues to consider, some players peak few years earlier/later than others.. Who was their main opposition, not only in the finals of those GS's but from say last 16 onwards.

Health issues, injuries and so forth, also play a part.

I think best way to compare players is at end of careers look at all the stats and facts before coming to a considered opinion. Even that, it is still not totally a perfect way of comparing but probably the best measure.
 
mike danny said:
It’s Fed by a significant margin, IMO.

Yes, Djoker has been pretty consistent and has lost to mugs less than Fed, but I don’t think getting crushed every time he reaches the semi is that impressive of a feat either
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i get what you are saying, but as i said in my comment i dont think the difference is that big as you say. in 2025 novak reached 4 semis and lost everytime to a good version of sincaraz bar the AO SF due to injury against alcaraz. would federer have won any slam in 2025 considering his 2019 form? i think wimbledon is the only slam he could win, but i doubt he has a concrete chance to win the other 3. in 2024 i dont know really if fed would have won against sinner in AO, as sinner was in good (not excpetional form though imo) meanwhile federer struggled to beat in a 5 set match cilic in 2018 F. i dont think he would have won any other major given his form in 2018
 
mike danny said:
It’s Fed by a significant margin, IMO.

Yes, Djoker has been pretty consistent and has lost to mugs less than Fed, but I don’t think getting crushed every time he reaches the semi is that impressive of a feat either
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I also lean Fed but I don’t think it’s a landslide. Fed’s tiebreakers are AO 2018 and Wimbledon 2019 but without those I think you could definitely put Djokovic ahead.

Also have to factor in Fed skipping RG in 2018.
 
I voted Federer by a good, but not huge margin, let's see:

-Australian Open: not much to say, Fed's level was pretty good in 18 and i definitely do not see him being blown away like Djokovic did in 24. With that level Fed has a really good shot at winning 25 without gassing out like Djoko did. 19 was the worst of the 4, but 18 moves the tickle too much in his favour.

-Roland Garros: i think that Federer here has the better run in 2019. Djokovic's 2024 one was really, really bad and i think he would have lost to Ruud even if he played the match. That said still better than not playing. I think Fed's 19 run tops the 25 by a bit. Overall i'd say tie.

-Wimbledon: Federer by a landside obviously. His 2019 level eclipses Djoko's in 24 and 25 by far. 18 is more in line with 24 and 25 but still 2019 is clearly the deciding factor.

-US Open: no notable run here, but i think Djokovic had probably the least bad one in 25, so i'd go for him.

Fed was also generally better outside of the slams, he won a couple of M1000 i think with a bunch of finals and he also won a ton of titles, while Djokovic only managed a 250.

Djokovic is ahead at the Olympics, but those didn't hold in 18 or 19 so there's no possible counter argument there.
 
Third Serve said:
I also lean Fed but I don’t think it’s a landslide. Fed’s tiebreakers are AO 2018 and Wimbledon 2019 but without those I think you could definitely put Djokovic ahead.

Also have to factor in Fed skipping RG in 2018.
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Federer was way better at bo3 level tough. That one isn't a close contest. 8 titles to 1, 2 M1000, good Finals showing etc
 
Another interesting dynamic in this discussion is how would Sinner and Alcaraz fair against the master of mix ups junk balls and superior serve/aggressive game.

Weve seen Sinner get exposed by Dimi in WB and the USO finals, weak to those slice/change ups vs the baseline ball bashing.

Alacarz will also experience the kind of mix up hes probably never dealt before.

It took Djokovic awhile to adjust to Roger especially against his slice in the early days so perhaps Roger might have a better matchup in todays gen than Nole who prefers the grind/outdo it vs his opponents.

So if Fed is peaking and reaching SF/F hes gona be very hard to put away. Probably has a higher chance of winning.
 
Third Serve said:
I also lean Fed but I don’t think it’s a landslide. Fed’s tiebreakers are AO 2018 and Wimbledon 2019 but without those I think you could definitely put Djokovic ahead.

Also have to factor in Fed skipping RG in 2018.
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yeah exactly. Unironically I think Wimbledon 2019 carries more than AO 2018
 
Novak quite convincingly.

Fed tried to compensate for the harsh reality with the help of Masters and smaller tournaments, while Novak is not interested in that, he just appears at the Slam and the semi-finals are guaranteed to him even at the age of 38, which was not the case with Federer even though he had many more matches in his legs than Novak.
 
paolo2143 said:
The fact is in their 30's Roger only won 4 slams I think He collected 16/20 (80%) in his 20's , all under age of 29.

Novak was more versatile. He picked up 12 in his 20's and 12 in his 30's.

Now an initial look, might indicate Roger peaked younger and perhaps had higher peak than Novak, but that Novak had much greater endurance & Longevity.

However, that is if you only look at the stats with no context.
Click to expand...
I’ve got some context for you - who did Federer play in his deep slam runs (SF+) in his 30s?

Peak Djokovic (11 USO), peak Nadal (12 AO), prime Djokovic (12 RG.. you get the picture now), prime Djokovic AND peak Murray, peak Murray (AO 13 at this point), prime Nadal, peak Djokovic, peak Cilic, peak Stanimal, peak Djokovic, peak Djokovic, peak Djokovic (AO 16 at this point), post prime Nadal and Stan, washed blister-y Cilic, Cilic, post prime Nadal, post prime Nadal and postprime Djokovic, and post prime Djokovic again (AO 20)

What about Djokovic? Well

Post prime Nadal (Wim 18), DelPo, post prime Nadal, prime Thiem, 37 year old Fed, 38 year old Fed and peak Thiem, post prime Nadal, prime Medvedev, post prime Nadal, Berrettini, peak Medvedev, Kygrios, Tsitsipas, prime(?) Alcaraz (for 2 sets), prime(?) Alcaraz, Medvedev, prime(?) Sinner, prime Alcaraz, prime(?) Alcaraz, prime Sinner, prime Sinner, peak Alcaraz

It should become clear at this point why the gap between them is so big for 30s slam count, and it is not mainly because Djoker is more versatile
 
Federer had higher highs and lower lows, but the first are more important, so it's him. He won a slam and had MPs in the other. Djokovic did well at all slams except USO 2024, but he never came close to winning one. If we were including his level at the Olympics, more debatable, but in slams, it's clearly the Swiss.



BorgTheGOAT said:
Wimbledon would be his best bet but even FO he has outsider chances.
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I really don't see Federer beating Alcaraz on clay. THAT Federer, I mean, not some of his 2005-2011 versions, of course.
 
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