Novak Djokovic wrapped up a record-laden 2023 Grand Slam season. Gearing up for the next year, he does not look like slowing down. He will have his eyes on multiple feats he would want to achieve before hanging up his boots. One such record he can break in 2024 currently belongs to Roger Federer.
Seemingly immune to the downsides of ageing, Djokovic is likely to be on the ATP tour for at least a couple of years more. This gives him a golden opportunity to break most records set by his fellow Big 3 rivals, Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic’s most cherished record, however, will probably be his 24 Grand Slams, and he will want to add more.
Novak Djokovic could break Federer’s incredible Grand Slam record without problems
The Novak Djokovic-Roger Federer rivalry does not get as much attention as their respective rivalries with Rafael Nadal. By the time the former consolidated himself as a world-class player, the latter was beginning to trail off. Regardless, their matchup is an elite competition.
They faced off 50 times, with Djokovic leading 27-23 overall and 4-1 in Grand Slam finals. They share a multitude of records and have often chased each other for such feats, with no other player apart from Nadal in the mix. The Big 3 own virtually every record in tennis and have pushed each other to seek as many as possible. Currently, Djokovic looks set to add a few more to his list.
Roger Federer was the pioneer of the Big 3, breaking through the earliest. Debuting in 1998, he won his first Grand Slam in 2003, the year Djokovic played his first professional match. The Serb won his first in 2008 and second only three years later. Hence, most records were held by Federer for the early years of the trio’s presence. However, after his slowdown and subsequent retirement, Djokovic will have his eye on all the achievements collected by the Swiss legend. Nadal’s frequent injury absences only make his pursuit easier.
One record Djokovic can usurp from Federer without breaking a sweat is the latter’s feat of most Grand Slam matches won. Throughout his career, the 20-time Majors winner won a whopping 369 matches in Slam tournaments, having played 429. Djokovic, following his 2023 US Open triumph, is on 361 wins in Grand Slams.
The Serb has played 20 matches fewer than his rival. Nadal is a distant third in both categories, with 314 wins in 357 fixtures. Djokovic, already hailed as a favorite to lift the 2024 Australian Open, will fancy himself to grab the record from Federer as soon as possible. Given his immense form and fitness, it will not be a surprise if he achieves it straightaway.
What Djokovic needs to do to surpass Roger Federer
For Djokovic to break Federer’s record for most Grand Slam matches won, he needs to win eight more. From the first round to the final, a player can play a maximum of seven fixtures in a single Majors tournament. The Australian Open is Djokovic’s favorite playground and he is the leading choice to lift the trophy again. He is strongly tipped to win all seven matches and lift his 11th title in Melbourne. That would put him within one victory of matching Federer’s record.
The French Open is the second Slam tournament of the year. While his track record here is not as incredible as in Australia, Djokovic is undoubtedly among the title favorites. Regardless of the ‘King of Clay’ Nadal’s impending return, the World No.1 is expected to go deep.
The last time he did not make it to at least the quarter-finals in Paris was in 2009. Combining the Australian Open and the French Open, he will likely bag eight Grand Slam match wins without much difficulty. Barring any catastrophic failure or injury, Djokovic is well set to break Federer’s record in the first two Slams of 2024.
