The end of Nadal’s clay-court streak
Novak Djokovic broke yesterday Rafael Nadal‘s 37-match winning streak on clay (including 13 consecutive wins) in the Mutua Madrid Open final. It is Nadal’s second longest winning streak on clay and the sixth longest in the Open era on this surface. Nadal’s comment after the final: “He’s playing at a really high level. We’ve got to accept that. When someone is better than you there is nothing you can do other than congratulate him and that’s it and look forward to your next tournament and try to keep up, see what you’re missing, what you’ve doing right and face forward with the correct attitude and with mental strength. You have to be cold, mentally speaking, and you have to look for solutions. Try to be better, try to practice and next time I’ll try to do better”. During the streak, Nadal dropped just four sets (Gulbis, Almagro, Murray, Federer) never being seriously threatened to lose a match. He has lost the last three matches he played against Djokovic, all of them in ‘Masters 1000’ finals. The Serb is the only man who has beaten Nadal at least 10 times and for the first time in career has an opportunity to claim the No. 1 – he has to win Rome whilst Nadal has to lose before the semifinals.
Six longest winning streaks on clay in the Open era:
81 – Rafael Nadal (2005–07)
53 – Guillermo Vilas (1977)
46 – Bjorn Borg (1977–79)
40 – Thomas Muster (1995)
38 – Muster (1995-96)
37 – Nadal (2009-11)
Nadal’s winning streaks on clay since he has dominated this surface:
12 – (lost to Igor Andreev 5-7 2-6, Valencia 2005)
81 – (lost to Roger Federer 6-2 2-6 0-6, Hamburg 2007)
17 – (lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero 5-7 1-6, Rome 2008)
31 – (lost to Roger Federer 4-6 4-6, Madrid 2009)
3 – (lost to Robin Soderling 2-6 7-6 4-6 6-7, Roland Garros 2009)
37 – (lost to Novak Djokovic 5-7 4-6, Madrid 2011)
Nadal’s three defeats to Djokovic this year:
Indian Wells, F: Djokovic d. Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Miami, F: Djokovic d. Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Madrid, F: Djokovic d. Nadal 7-5, 6-4
Nadal’s 37 match winning streak on clay:
2009:
Davis Cup: Berdych 7-5 6-0 6-2; Hajek 6-3 6-4
2010:
Monte Carlo: De Bakker 6-1 6-0; Berrer 6-0 6-1; Ferrero 6-4 6-2; Ferrer 6-2 6-3; Verdasco 6-0 6-1, Rome: Kohlschreiber 6-1 6-3; Hanescu 6-3 6-2; Wawrinka 6-4 6-1; Gulbis 6-4 3-6 6-4; Ferrer 7-5 6-2, Madrid: Dolgopolov 6-4 6-3, Isner 7-5 6-4, Monfils 6-1 6-3, Almagro 4-6 6-2 6-2, Federer 6-4 7-6(5), Roland Garros: Mina 6-2 6-2 6-2, Zeballos 6-2 6-2 6-3, Hewitt 6-3 6-4 6-3, Bellucci 6-2 7-5 6-4, Almagro 7-6(2) 7-6(3) 6-4, Melzer 6-2 6-3 7-6(6), Soderling 6-4 6-2 6-4
2011:
Monte Carlo: Nieminen 6-2 6-2, Gasquet 6-2 6-4, Ljubicic 6-1 6-3, Murray 6-4 2-6 6-1, Ferrer 6-4 7-5, Barcelona: Gimeno 6-1 6-1, Giraldo 6-3 6-1, Monfils 6-2 6-2, Dodig 6-3 6-2, Ferrer 6-2 6-4, Madrid: Baghdatis 6-1 6-3, Llodra 6-2 6-2, Federer 5-7 6-1 6-3
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I love to watch Nadal, but djokovic is now completed player.Go Joker 🙂