Throughout his illustrious career, Novak Djokovic has gone on to lose a match after wasting match points only four times. The most recent one came only a few weeks ago against Jannik Sinner.
In comparison, Rafael Nadal has lost nine times from this position, most recently in his defeat to Jordan Thompson in the 2024 Brisbane International quarterfinals. Roger Federer, meanwhile, has faced defeat despite having match points a whopping 24 times.
Below is each of the four matches Djokovic lost despite being one point away from victory.
1. Novak Djokovic failed to convert match points against Jannik Sinner
Days after clashing twice in the 2023 ATP Finals, Sinner and Djokovic crossed paths as Serbia and Italy met in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup. Their meeting was the main attraction of the tie and it lived up to the billing.
Sinner looked driven to exact revenge for his loss in the final of the year-end championships. He won the first set 6-2 but lost the second by the same margin. The decider was more evenly matched but soon, Djokovic had three match points with the score reading 5-4 (40-0) in his favour. The Italian stood firm to save all points and then broke the Serb in the next game. He did not let the match slip away, winning 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. This was his second win over Djokovic in two weeks, a rare feat.
2. Djokovic missed out on a championship point
Djokovic faced Marin Cilic in the final of the 2018 Queen’s Club Championships. The duo dished out tennis out of the top draw in a match that contained everything.
Djokovic won the first set and at 5-4 in the second, was one point away from lifting the ATP 500 title. However, he squandered the championship point for what would have been his first title in Queen’s. Cilic saved the point and fought back with renewed vigour. The Serb seemed to surrender in the decider, losing 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3 and that made his Croatian opponent lift a second Queen’s title.
3. When Novak Djokovic fumbled match points in the longest ATP 1000 match
Before the aforementioned loss to Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic went nine years without losing from a position where he had match points. His 2009 Madrid Masters semi-final against Rafael Nadal lasted over four hours, the longest in ATP 1000 history.
Nadal lost the first set but won the next two in tiebreaks. Djokovic had three match points in the deciding set but could not convert it, losing 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9). He had a 3-0 lead in the third set but allowed his opponent to build his way back. This titanic tussle was voted the best match in the Madrid Masters history.
4. Djokovic’s first loss in this situation
Djokovic’s first loss despite having match points came at the hands of Mikhail Youzhny in the 2009 Rotterdam Open. Vying for a spot in the final, the Serb won the first set and held a match point in the second set tiebreak. He led 7-6 but could not capitalise, allowing the Russian to draw level.
The decider saw Djokovic race ahead 3-0 before Youzhny broke him twice. However, Djokovic again had two match points which he failed to convert. Ultimately, Youzhny won the semi-final 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-5.
