Djokovic's path to eternity

World No. 1, Novak Djokovic, recorded all 27 victories at the Grand Slam matches in 2021.

Source: Beta, D.Dj. Sunday, 12.09.2021. | 12:33

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That brought him one step closer to becoming the first player to win a calendar Grand Slam, since Rod Laver back in 1969.

Djokovic won seven matches at the Australian Open, seven at Roland Garros and seven at Wimbledon.

With the triumph over the German Alexander Zverev, Serbian tennis player reached six victories at the US Open, and tomorrow he will fight the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final.

The title in New York would bring Djokovic the 21st trophy from the biggest tournaments, with which he would overtake the biggest rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the eternal list.

We bring you a detailed overview of Djokovic's journey through every Grand Slam tournament of the season.

Australian Open

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Melbourne, February 8-21.

First round: Djokovic started his way to the title in Melbourne with a victory against the Frenchman Jeremy Chardy with 6: 3, 6: 1, 6: 2. In that match, he won 43 of 52 service points and once again dominated Chardy. In mutual duels, Djokovic leads with 14: 0 and he won in all 33 sets played.

Second round: Djokovic celebrated against the American Frances Tiafoe with 6: 3, 6: 7 (3), 7: 6 (2), 6: 3.

He scored 26 ace points in that match.

Third round: Victory against another American, Taylor Fritz with 7: 6 (1), 6: 4, 3: 6, 4: 6, 6: 2.

The match was specific for two reasons. First, because it was paused in the fourth set in order to empty the stands due to the new provisions of the state of Victoria in the fight against coronavirus. Secondly, Djokovic injured his abdominal muscle after an awkward movement. "I don't know if I will be able to recover in less than two days," he said.

Fourth round: He defeated Canadian Miloš Raonić with 7: 6 (4), 4: 6, 6: 1, 6: 4.

"If it was any tournament other than the Grand Slam, I would retire, that's for sure," he said. This was Djokovic's 300th career victory.

Quarterfinals: He was better than the German Alexander Zverev with 6: 7 (6), 6: 2, 6: 4, 7: 6 (6).

Djokovic dropped the first set and was 3-0 behind in the third and fourth. After missing one shot, he broke the racket in a rage.

“I have my demons that I have to fight,” he said later.

Semifinals: Djokovic defeated Russian tennis player Aslan Karatsev with 6: 3, 6: 4, 6: 2.

Serbian tennis player realized six of the seven break points in that match and improved the result in the semifinals of the Australian Open to 9: 0. Karatsev was the qualifier who became the first in the Open era to reach the semifinals in his Grand Slam debut.

Finals: He defeated Russian Daniil Medvedev with 7: 5, 6: 2, 6: 2 and thus reached his ninth title at the Australian Open and the 18th Grand Slam in total. Djokovic said that the tournament was a "roller coaster".

"Emotionally, this was the most challenging Grand Slam I played, with everything that happened - injuries, things off the field, quarantine," he said.

Roland Garros

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Paris, May 30th - June 13th.

First round: Djokovic defeated American Tennys Sandgren with 6: 2, 6: 4, 6: 2 without any major problems.

He saved all six break points he faced, scored 33 winners and improved his record in the matches of the first round of Roland Garros to 17: 0.

Second round: He defeated Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas with 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 4.

"So far, the two matches I've played, I've played at a high level," he said.

Third round: His rival was Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis and Djokovic celebrated with 6: 1, 6: 4, 6: 1 and thus came to the 77th victory at Roland Garros.

It was another victory for Djokovic without much drama, as he did not face a single break point.

Fourth round: Italian Lorenzo Musetti handed over the match with Djokovic leading 6: 7 (7), 6: 7 (2), 6: 1, 6: 0, 4: 0.

The drama began. Djokovic dropped the first two sets against the 19-year-old who participated in his first Grand Slam tournament, but a big comeback followed. Only one lost game in the next three sets, seven breaks and the surrender of the Italian with Djokovic leading 4-0 in the fifth set.

Quarterfinals: Victory against Italian Mateo Berrettini with 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 7 (5), 7: 5.

Djokovic was two points away from the victory in three sets, but after his unmitigated mistakes, the match went to the fourth set. This was followed by the emptying of the stands due to curfew and the interruption of the match for 20 minutes.

"I was under pressure all the time," Djokovic said.

Semifinals: "Classic" against the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, which Djokovic won with 3: 6, 6: 3, 7: 6 (4), 6: 2.

With a big victory over the biggest rival in his career, the first on clay after 2016, Djokovic increased his advantage over the Spaniard in head to head duels to 30:28.

It was only Nadal's third defeat on Paris clay ever. Djokovic said that this was "one of those matches that will be remembered forever".

Finals: Djokovic defeated Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas after a turnaround with 6: 7 (6), 2: 6, 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 4 and reached the second title in Paris and 19th from the Grand Slam category.

With his second title at Roland Garros, Djokovic became the first tennis player in the Open Era to win all four Grand Slam tournaments at least twice.

This was also his first victory in the final of a Grand Slam after he was down 0: 2

Wimbledon

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London, June 28th to July 11th.

First round: Djokovic started the defense of the title at Wimbledon with a victory against the Briton Jack Draper with 4: 6, 6: 1, 6: 2, 6: 2.

After 15 unforced errors in the first set, which he lost, Djokovic made a total of nine by the end of the match.

Second round: Victory against South African Kevin Anderson with 6: 3, 6: 3, 6: 3.

Djokovic did not face a single break point in this match and made only five unforced errors.

Third round: He celebrated against the American Denis Kudla with 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (7).

The number of unforced errors that Djokovic made reached 28 in this match, and after the match he said: "I turned off a bit."

Fourth round: Djokovic defeated Chilean Cristian Garin with 6: 2, 6: 4, 6: 2 and reached his 50th Grand Slam quarterfinals without any major problems.

Quarterfinals: He defeated Hungarian Márton Fucsovics with 6: 3, 6: 4, 6: 4 and advanced to his tenth semifinal at Wimbledon.

Semifinals: Serbian tennis player was better than the Canadian Denis Shapovalov with 7: 6 (3), 7: 5, 7: 5.

It seemed that Shapovalov was close to winning every set, but he failed. Djokovic defended all eight break points he faced in the last two sets.

Finals: Djokovic defeated Italian Mateo Berrettini with 6: 7 (4), 6: 4, 6: 4, 6: 3 and thus became the six-time Wimbledon champion.

He reached the 20th Grand Slam title in his career, which equaled Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record.

"I leave the debate on whether I am the best of all time to others," said Djokovic.

Berrettini described his first Grand Slam final in the following way: "He made me play badly."

US Open

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New York, August 30th - September 12th

First round: At the start of the last Grand Slam of the season, Djokovic beat 18-year-old Dane Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune with 6: 1, 6: 7 (5), 6: 2, 6: 1.

Second round: Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor was the second opponent of Serbian tennis player who won with 6: 2, 6: 3, 6: 2.

The only real concern of Djokovic in this match was the audience who made noise during the points.

Griekspoor said after the match about Djokovic's game: "He is everywhere, throwing the ball back to you".

Third round: Djokovic defeated the Japanese Kei Nishikori with 6: 7 (4), 6: 3, 6: 3, 6: 2.

This was the 17th consecutive victory against the 2014 US Open finalist.

Fourth round: World No. 1 came back in the eighth finals after being a set down and celebrated against 20-year-old American Jenson Brooksby with 1: 6, 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 2.

Quarterfinals: He defeated Italian Mateo Berrettini with 5: 7, 6: 2, 6: 2, 6: 3, which brought him the first semifinal of the US Open after 2018, a total of 12.

He recorded his 224th victory over rivals from Top 10, thus exceeding the record held so far by Roger Federer (223).

After making 17 unforced errors in the first set, he scored a total of 11 by the end of the match.

"The best three sets I played in the tournament, for sure," said Djokovic.

Semifinals: Djokovic defeated German Alexander Zverev with 4: 6, 6: 2, 6: 4, 4: 6, 6: 2.

In the fourth match in a row, Djokovic lost the first set, but he managed to come back and win.

The match was filled with long exchanges, and the longest was in the last game of the third set with as many as 53 shots. Zverev won that point, but Djokovic won that game, that set and in the end the match.

"Mentally, he is the best player who has ever played this game," Zverev said.

Finals: Djokovic will play against Russian Daniil Medvedev tomorrow at 22.00. The calendar Grand Slam and the record 21st Grand Slam title will be at stake.

There is only one name left on Novak's path to eternity...