Spanish legend Rafael Nadal is known to have set high standards for tennis players around the globe throughout his career, even when other legends like Novak Djokovic were enjoying their peak season. However, it seems that the 24-time Grand Slam champion is on a roll to break all his records.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had established a record of not passing any season without having won a single ATP title, for 19 years straight. Ever since winning his first-ever ATP title in 2004, in Sopot at the Warsaw Open, the King of Clay went on to achieve at least 1 ATP title every year till 2022.
However, it seems the 7-time Wimbledon champion is all set to overtake Rafa as he has already equalized his record. Djokovic, too, now has been able to clinch at least 1 title for 19 years and might break Nadal’s record if he manages to win another title next year by continuing the same form.
His first ATP title came in the year 2006, 2 years later than Rafa, at the Amsterdam Open and his most recent one came in 2024, when he went on to win an Olympic gold medal at the Roland Garros by beating Carlos Alcaraz.
However, many believe that an Olympic gold cannot really be considered an ATP title since it has no impact on a player’s ranking or points on the tour. Thus, they feel this makes it irrelevant to the ATP Tour.
But the encouragement and zeal provided by this medal can push Djokovic to achieve at least one more title before the season comes to an end. He might go on to win the US Open for the fifth time as the victory would have definitely lifted his spirits, especially after going through a lot of challenges earlier this year.
Has Djokovic put another Nadal record in danger?
If Nole manages to be in his best health and fitness and keeps himself all pumped up the next season as well, he might win another title in 2025. This will make him the first-ever men’s singles player to achieve a title every year continuously for a record 20 years, once again surpassing Rafa.
Previously, Djokovic didn’t have quite a successful 2024 season, which also included incurring a knee injury that made him bow out of Roland Garros, followed by a Wimbledon final loss to Carlos Alcaraz.
This somewhere gave an impression that the 10-time Australian Open champion might pass this season without having won any title and can hang his boots soon.
However, he answered back by completing his career Golden Slam, becoming only the fifth tennis player in the world to do so. He also became only the second men’s singles player to do so after 2000, hence, achieving yet another record that was exclusively held by Nadal.
