Which Players Have Been Beaten the Most By Novak Djokovic in Grand Slam Finals?

Advertorial: Last year, Novak Djokovic missed out on the single-year Grand Slam as he lost in the Wimbledon final to Spanish upstart Carlos Alcaraz. Had he won that, he would have claimed all four majors throughout 2023, becoming just the third man in history and the first in over half a century to complete the feat.

This year, he won't complete it either. After a ruthless spell of dominance at the Australian Open spanning the last five years and 33 straight matches, the Serbian sensation was dominated by talented Italian Jannik Sinner. The 22-year-old proclaimed the future is now when he knocked off Nole in four sets, before going on to beat Russian ace Danil Medvedev to claim his first-ever Grand Slam. And if that wasn't enough, he rallied from two sets down to do so.

The bookies certainly don't think that the end is nigh for Djokovic however, despite his first defeat in Melbourne in half a decade. He is already the most decorated male player of all time with a mighty 24 Slam titles to his name, and he is expected to add more gold to the collection before he hangs up the racquet. The latest tennis betting odds make him a +125 favorite to successfully defend his US Open title this September, while simultaneously making him a second favorite to the aforementioned Alcaraz at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Should he add another slam to his already overflowing collection, it will certainly take a herculean effort. But which players has he beaten the most over the years to secure his current trophy haul? Let's take a look.

Andy Murray

Andy Murray is tennis' resident miracle man. Injury woes throughout the late 2010s curtailed his career at the top level, forcing him to have a hip replacement in the process. However, he still competes to this day and has managed to secure stunning victories against the likes of Matteo Berrettini and Thanasi Kokkinakis. However, he hasn't been able to recreate the magic of old that led him to three grand slam victories and two olympic gold medals.

The resilient Brit and former World No. 1 has been beaten by Djokovic in five Grand Slam finals, the most of any of his rivals. The Serb emerged victorious in encounters that were characterized by intense baseline rallies and superb defensive play, but it was Djokovic’s ability to elevate his game at critical junctures that consistently saw him through.

In Melbourne, the pair clashed in no fewer than four finals, namely in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016, with the Serbian GOAT winning all four. Their French Open final in 2016 further cemented Djokovic's as Murray's kryptonite as he rallied from a set down to secure the victory. But the Scottish-born star has enjoyed plenty of success of his own against Djokovic over the years. He defeated his greatest rival to claim his first Slam at the 2012 US Open before becoming the first British man in 77 years to lift the trophy at Wimbledon the following summer.

Rafael Nadal

While Murray is the man that Djokovic has bested the most in Grand Slam finals, Rafael Nadal is arguably the Serbian's greatest rival when it comes to been considered the greatest player of all time. The King of Clay has been bested by his nemesis in four finals. These contests pitted Djokovic's comprehensive all-court game against Nadal's unmatched clay-court prowess and tenacity. His triumphs over the Spaniard at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2011 underscored his capacity to outplay Nadal on quicker surfaces.

The Australian Open finals in 2012 and 2019 were monumental, with their first of those two encounters being heralded as one of the most physically and mentally taxing matches in tennis history, with the pair doing battle for a whopping 5 hours and 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam final of all time. But Djokovic's greatest victory against his archrival didn't come in a final and was his semifinal victory in the semifinals of the 2021 French Open, ending Nadal's stranglehold on the claycourts once and for all.

Roger Federer

The encounters between Roger Federer and Djokovic in Grand Slam finals have been a spectacle of skill, strategy, and sheer willpower. The Serban has managed to prevail over Federer four times in these showpiece matches. Their battles, especially at Wimbledon and the US Open, showcased his incredible shot-making and mental resilience. The 2019 Wimbledon final immediately springs to mind, with Djokovic saving championship points to clinch the title in a contest that he simply refused to lose.

But the Swiss Superman has certainly had his moments in his bid to cling on to the status as the greatest player that's ever lived. He managed to beat Djokovic in his first-ever Slam final at the 2007 US Open something that the reigning champion in New York City refused to forget, fuelling hm to success over the former GOAT in each of the next four finals.