Their epic Australian Open final broke two records: the longest match in Melbourne and the longest Grand Slam final. What a perfect timing to create such a battle during 30th meeting of these two modern gladiators. Although Djokovic has won their last seven meetings, Nadal still leads overall 16-14. The Serb now needs to beat Nadal on Parisian clay to underline his overwhelming superioriity over “the king of clay”.
“I’m playing the best tennis of my life, and in 2011, I made back-to-back wins on the clay against Rafa,” Djokovic says about their rivalry and high hopes to become the first man since Rod Laver to win four majors in a row. “The semifinals of Roland Garros was an incredible match against Federer, and so it gives me enough reason to believe that actually I can go to the finals maybe this year, and I’m thinking about it. There is no secret about it, but again, it’s still a long way through“. Nadal admitts class of his biggest rival: “His return is probably one of the best in history. I never played against a player who’s able to return like this, almost every time.” Below all matches they played so far with some statistical info. It seems they’re going to be the first pair in the Open era to play 40 matches against each other in singles. I guess they should surpass the Lendl-McEnroe record already next year.
2006 (1-0 Nadal)
1. Roland Garros, QF: Nadal 6-4, 6-4 ret. (1 hour, 56 minutes)
2007 (5-2 Nadal)
2. Indian Wells, F: Nadal 6-2, 7-5 (1 hour, 36 minutes)
3. Miami, QF: Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 (1 hour, 37 minutes)
4. Rome, QF: Nadal 6-2, 6-3 (1 hour, 41 minutes)
5. Roland Garros, SF: Nadal 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 (2 hours, 28 minutes)
6. Wimbledon, SF: Nadal 3-6, 6-1, 4-1 ret. (1 hour, 41 minutes)
7. Montreal, SF: Djokovic 7-5, 6-3 (1 hour, 51 minutes)
8. Shanghai, RR: Nadal 6-4, 6-4 (1 hour, 44 minutes)
2008 (4-2 Nadal)
9. Indian Wells, SF: Djokovic 6-3, 6-2 (1 hour, 22 minutes)
10. Hamburg, SF: Nadal 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 (3 hours, 3 minutes)
11. Roland Garros, SF: Nadal 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (2 hours, 49 minutes)
12. Queens Club, F: Nadal 7-6, 7-5 (2 hours, 16 minutes)
13. Cincinnati, SF: Djokovic 6-1, 7-5 (1 hour, 26 minutes)
14. Beijing-Olympics, SF: Nadal 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 (2 hours, 10 minutes)
2009 (4-3 Nadal)
15. Davis Cup, QF: Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 (2 hours, 28 minutes)
16. Monte Carlo, F: Nadal 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 (2 hours, 43 minutes)
17. Rome, F: Nadal 7-6, 6-2 (2 hours, 3 minutes)
18. Madrid, SF: Nadal 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 (4 hours, 3 minutes) – 3 m.p.
D: Montreal, 1R: Nadal / F.Roig d. Djokovic / D.Vemic 7-5, 6-4
19. Cincinnati, SF: Djokovic 6-1, 6-4 (1 hour, 32 minutes)
20. Paris, SF: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3 (1 hour, 17 minutes)
21. London, RR: Djokovic 7-6, 6-3 (1 hour, 58 minutes)
2010 (2-0 Nadal)
22. US Open, F: Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 (3 hours, 43 minutes)
23. London, RR: Nadal 7-5, 6-2 (1 hour, 52 minutes)
2011 (6-0 Djokovic)
24. Indian Wells, F: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 (2 hours, 25 minutes)
25. Miami, F: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3 hours, 21 minutes)
26. Madrid, F: Djokovic 7-5, 6-4 (2 hours, 17 minutes)
27. Rome, F: Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 (2 hours, 12 minutes)
28. Wimbledon, F: Djokovic 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 (2 hours, 28 minutes)
29. US Open, F: Djokovic 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 (4 hours, 10 minutes)
2012
30. Australian Open, F: Djokovic 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 (5 hours, 53 minutes)
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Image including fragments of all their encounters.
My photo-stats impression of their US Open 2013 final
– http://voodemar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/photostats11.jpg