With the Davis Cup quarter-final draw pitting Serbia against Great Britain, the focus is on Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Both stalwarts played only one singles match each throughout the group phase and won respectively. Their countries will now face off in the Final 8 stage beginning November 21 in Malaga, Spain.
Djokovic and Murray will likely face off in the singles clash of their quarter-final tie. This big-name fixture might be what the Davis Cup needs. The team tournament is ailing from low fan interest and criticism for its changed format. A match-up between two modern greats can reinvigorate the competition. Both these legends are on long unbeaten streaks in Davis Cup singles matches. One of them will be broken if they meet in a thrilling encounter. On that note, here are five memorable matches between Djokovic and Murray.
1. When Novak Djokovic powered through 3 gruelling sets in 2011 Rome Masters semi-final
Djokovic downed the ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal in the 2011 Rome Masters final in straight sets. However, before that, he faced a stern test from Murray in the semi-finals. He inflicted a breadstick in the first set, but the Brit bounced back to dominate the second.
Murray was broken only once as he won the set 6-3. He kept the momentum going, serving for the match at 5-4 in the decider. Djokovic, though, broke him and did not look back. The Serb won the tiebreaker 7-2 and the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7). Murray played some of his best tennis to challenge a rampaging Djokovic, that too, on clay, but the eventual champion was just too good.
2. Djokovic and Murray played two 5-set Grand Slam thrillers in 2012
2012 was the peak of the ‘Big 4’ quartet, namely Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. But that year, it was Djokovic and Murray who played two long, nail-biting 5-set matches in Grand Slams and won one each.
At the Australian Open, the duo crossed paths in the semifinals. Djokovic pocketed the first set but Murray bounced back to win the next two, both lasting over an hour each. The current World No.1 then won the fourth set and raced to a 5-2 lead in the decider. His opponent bounced back to make it 5-5, but Djokovic held out to close the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 7-5.
Their second five-setter came in the 2012 US Open final. Murray won the first two sets, with the first having a particularly long tiebreak. Djokovic, never the one to surrender meekly, won the next two convincingly. The Brit, fresh off an Olympic gold, bulldozed Djokovic in the decider to win the summit clash 7-6 (12-10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2. His US Open triumph meant the Big 4 took home one Grand Slam each as well in 2012.
3. How Andy Murray dismantled Novak Djokovic in 2012 Olympics
Murray came into the 2012 London Olympics on the back of a runner-up finish at Wimbledon a few weeks prior to that. With Olympic tennis matches being held at the same venue as the Grand Slam event, the Brit had a great advantage of familiarity with the conditions. He breezed through the first four rounds before facing Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Playing in front of his home crowd on his favourite surface (grass), there was no stopping Murray. He defeated Djokovic in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5. Both sets followed a similar pattern. The duo went neck-and-neck till 5-5 before the eventual winner broke his opponent to win the set. Murray would go on to win the gold medal by defeating Federer in the final. The 2012 Olympics semi-final remains the only time that Murray and Djokovic met while representing their countries.
4. When woeful Djokovic made Murray complete his trophy cabinet
Andy Murray had three Grand Slams and two Olympic golds in his kitty by the time the 2016 ATP Finals rolled around. This was the only major individual trophy remaining for the Brit. With Nadal withdrawing and Federer not qualifying, Djokovic was his only true challenger. And sure enough, the Serb crossed paths with him in the final.
Murray, though, was at his imperious best. Djokovic was visibly exhausted after a long Slam season which saw him lift two Majors titles. The then-Wimbledon champion took full advantage of his rival’s sliding form to sweep him aside in straight sets. Murray won 6-3, 6-4 to complete his singles trophy cabinet. He is one of the only three active players to have won a Grand Slam as well as the ATP Final. Djokovic is a six-time winner of the ATP event while Daniil Medvedev won it in 2020.
