Djokovic’s impressive streak

Novak Djokovic [2] has the best start of the year of any player since 1986. The Serb has won 24 consecutive matches to start the 2011 year, the last man who won more matches in the first few months of a season being undefeated was Ivan Lendl, 25 years ago. Djokovic might tie him winning the next ‘Masters 1000’ event in Monte Carlo. Is Djokovic the best player in the world at the moment, having won so many successive matches this year, including three victories over Roger Federer [3], two over Rafael Nadal [1] and one over Andy Murray [4] ? Certainly the best on hard-courts, I look forward to his participation in the first big clay-court tournament this year in Monte Carlo and expect him to play another final against Nadal. Their clash on clay might really answer to a question “Will Djokovic be the No. 1 this year, finishing seven years of ‘Fedal’ supremacy?” Below three interesting stats considering winning streaks:

Seven best starts of a year:

42 – John McEnroe (1984)
29 – Ivan Lendl (1986)
24 – Novak Djokovic (2011)
23 – Bjorn Borg (1980)*
22 – John McEnroe (1985)
17 – Pete Sampras (1997)
16 – Roger Federer (2006)

The longest winning streaks among active players (at least 20 matches won in a row):

41 – Roger Federer (2006-07)
35 – Federer (2005)
32 – Rafael Nadal (2008)
29 – Federer (2006)
26 – Federer (2005), Nadal (2006), Novak Djokovic (2010-11)**
25 – Federer (2005)
24 – Nadal (2005 & 2010)
23 – Federer (2004), Juan Martin del Potro (2008)

* Borg won 31 matches counting his 6 wins in WCT Invitational and 2 wins at Pepsi Grand Slam
** Djokovic began his streak last year in the Davis Cup final beating two Frenchmen (he has won 29 matches in a row, counting his three wins this year in the Hopman Cup)

The longest winning streaks in “Masters’ tournaments:

29 – Roger Federer (2005-06)
19 – Pete Sampras (1994)
18 – Rafael Nadal (2005 & 2010)
17 – Thomas Muster (1995)
15 – Michael Chang (1992), Federer (2005), David Nalbandian (2007-08)
14 – Thomas Muster (1995), Nadal (2006 & 2007)
13 – Andrei Medvedev (1994), Andy Roddick (2003), Nadal (2009)
12 – Jim Courier (1991), Federer (2004), Andy Murray (2008), Novak Djokovic (2011)