Top 10 greatest comeback victories by Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is among the all-time greats in the tennis world, not only for his impressive Grand Slam collection but also for his never-say-die attitude. He has built a reputation as a player who never gives up, no matter how tough the situation. Novak Djokovic’s 2019 Wimbledon final win against Roger Federer and the 2011 US Open semifinal comeback has gone down in tennis lore as some of the greatest comebacks of all time.

The Serbian’s exceptional return of serve and defensive skills often allows him to wear down opponents and find a way back into matches that seem lost. His ability to stay calm under pressure and execute precise shots at crucial moments has produced numerous memorable comebacks throughout his career and today we take a look at Novak Djokovic‘s top 10 comeback wins.

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#10 Berdych vs Djokovic (2011 ATP Finals)

This match showcased Djokovic’s resilience as he saved a match point and dispatched Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. The scoreline may not indicate the closeness but Djokovic had to overcome a sluggish start where the Czech bombardier Berdych easily won the first set after racing to a 4-0 lead.

Just when it looked like there was an upset on the horizon, Djokovic managed to up his tempo and dominated Berdych in the second set. As the first serve percentage of Berdych dropped to 46%, Djokovic took advantage and crossed the finish line.

#9 Del Potro vs Djokovic (2019 Rome, Quarterfinals)

In just his seventh match since returning from a long-term injury, Juan Martin del Potro looked back to his best as he claimed the first set 6-4. Del Potro forced the second set into a tiebreak after coming back from a 2-5 deficit and even had two match points.

With the first Rome title within reach, Del Potro’s momentum was halted as Djokovic broke his serve, winning the second set. Djokovic then broke serve in the fifth game of the third set and secured a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 victory.

#8 Verdasco vs Djokovic (2017 Doha, Semifinals)

Djokovic survived a significant scare as former top 10 player Fernando Verdasco controlled most of the first two sets. Verdasco held an incredible five match points during the tiebreak, but Djokovic saved them all, capitalizing on Verdasco’s errors to win the tiebreak.

In the third set, Djokovic took control, ultimately prevailing 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in an exciting two-hour encounter.

#7 Seppi vs Djokovic (2012 Roland Garros, Round of 16)

Djokovic faced off against Andreas Seppi for a place in the semifinals. He was chasing his first French Open title to become the first player since Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time. Djokovic started the match strewn with errors as he trailed two sets to love and was in danger of crashing out of the tournament.

He had to dig deep and win the next three sets as a deflated Seppi conceded defeat to a more purposeful and improved Djokovic, who won the match 4-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5 6-3. Novak Djokovic committed 77 unforced errors in this fourth-round win over Andreas Seppi.

#6 Anderson vs Djokovic (2015 Wimbledon, Round of 16)

This match, which lasted two days due to fading light, saw Djokovic fighting for his third Wimbledon title. Djokovic had to dig deep to secure another remarkable comeback victory over the towering South African, winning 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.

This match put on display some high-quality tennis as Kevin Anderson raced to a two-set lead. The second day saw Anderson pick up where he left off as he continued to serve with canonical accuracy of over 130 mph.

However, Djokovic roared back, taking the next two sets and capitalizing on two breakpoints in the fifth set. After nearly an hour of intense play, Djokovic led 6-5. Anderson, still defiant, won the first two points, but the relentless Djokovic ultimately prevailed.

#5 Murray vs Djokovic (2012 Shanghai Masters, Finals)

Andy Murray was bidding to win his third consecutive Shanghai Masters and it seemed so until Djokovic crashed the party as he once again showed his mental toughness to save an amazing five match points and script a 5-7, 7-6 (13-11), 6-3 victory.

Previously, Djokovic had lost two matches at Flushing Meadows to the Scot and also in the Olympic semi-final at Wimbledon. The trend seemed to continue as Djokovic lost the first set. Murray raced to a 4-3 lead in the second set and had match points at 5-4.

Djokovic leveled the match and took the game to a pulsating tie-break which lasted 20 minutes and which eventually was won by the Serbian. Djokovic carried the momentum and broke Murray in the third set to lead 4-3 and broke him again to outclass the Scot in a thrilling match.

#4 Federer vs Djokovic (2019 Wimbledon, Finals)

One of the best Wimbledon matches, it took almost five hours for Djokovic to complete another one of his famous victories over the ageless Roger Federer. Djokovic clinched the match 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3). It also became the first match to go on to a 12-match tiebreak to decide the champion.

It featured three tiebreaks in which Djokovic got the better of Federer. The final set saw Federer have two match points at 8-7, but Djokovic did not give in as he turned the tables. It was forced to the tiebreak and Djokovic finally won the marathon match winning the tiebreak by forcing errors out of the tired Swiss.

#3 Murray vs Djokovic (2012 Australian Open, Semifinals)

Momentum plays a crucial role in any match, and this one was no exception, with the momentum swinging back and forth. Andy Murray tested the defending champion Novak Djokovic to the limits but ultimately fell short, losing 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 5-7. This marked Murray’s fourth consecutive Grand Slam semifinal loss.

Djokovic took the first set with relative ease, but Murray rallied to win the next two, including a closely contested tiebreak. The intensity shifted as Djokovic surged to a 4-0 lead in the fourth set and closed it out 6-1.

The decider saw Djokovic break twice to lead 5-2. Murray fought back to 5-4 but faltered at the last stride as Djokovic forced his way to the final.

#2 Federer vs Djokovic (2010 US Open, Semifinals)

It seemed almost certain that we would witness another Federer-Nadal final. Djokovic entered the semifinals as an underdog, having lost all three of his previous US Open meetings against Federer.

The match began poorly for Djokovic as he fell two sets down. However, he fought back to level the match at two sets all. Heading into the final set, Federer remained the overwhelming favorite to win.

Djokovic was trailing 4-5 and faced two match points. In a dramatic turn, he hit a series of winners and broke Federer’s serve to pull off a massive upset and secure his first victory against Roger at the US Open.

#1 Federer vs Djokovic (2011 US Open, Semifinals)

This match was an epic spectacle and a treat for the millions of tennis fans watching around the world. Just the previous year, Federer had experienced heartbreak as Djokovic produced a remarkable comeback to claim his first-ever victory over the Swiss star.

The stage was set for a rematch, and Federer started strongly, taking the first two sets with ease. Victory seemed within reach for the Swiss maestro, but Djokovic battled back to level the match at two sets apiece.

In the final set, Federer regained the initiative and was 40-15, just one point away from securing a spot in the finals against Nadal. However, Djokovic saved the match point with a stunning cross-court winner and went on to win the set 7-5. This victory marked Djokovic’s second consecutive semifinal win at the US Open against Federer, with the final score being 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 in a thrilling three hours and 51 minutes.

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