The Australian Open is played on Plexicushion, a surface not all that dissimilar to the Laykold hard courts of the US Open.
Which might lead one to wonder why there’s such an imbalance when it comes to Novak Djokovic's record haul of 23 Grand Slam singles titles. Why, one might ask, has the Serb won an unparalleled 10 in Melbourne, and “only” three in Flushing Meadows?
Then you remember that Djokovic is the only man to win each Grand Slam tournament at least three times, that his nine appearances in the US Open final stand as an Open Era record. It’s not like he hasn’t had his fair share of success in New York.
“I actually lost more finals here than I won in my career,” says Djokovic, who’s 3-6 in title tilts in Flushing Meadows. “There’s some very close finals that I lost; some that I won. But, generally, I think the consistency of results here has been pretty good.”
In his 16 career US Open appearances, Djokovic has reached at least the semifinals on 12 occasions.
Most US Open Finals (Open Era)
Novak Djokovic 9
Pete Sampras 8
Ivan Lendl 8
Roger Federer 7
Jimmy Connors 7
Andre Agassi 6
“It could be the fact that it’s at the end of the season,” Djokovic added. “It’s the last Grand Slam of the year. It’s been eight tough months of tennis for all the players. Maybe that’s the reason why you would probably see more surprises in this Grand Slam than maybe some other Slams.”
We’ve seen 10 different US Open champions over the last 15 years, including first-time Slam winners the last three years: Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem. Others to win their first major trophy in the Big Apple include Marin Cilic (2014), Andy Murray (2012) and Juan Martin del Potro (2009).
As Djokovic aims for a historic 24th major singles title, a number that would put him side-by-side with all-time leader Margaret Court of Australia, USOpen.org looks back on Djokovic’s three triumphs at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
2011, def. Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1
The top seed’s first US Open title comes at the expense of defending champion Rafael Nadal in a four-hour, four-set final, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1. It marks the Serb’s third major singles title of 2011 and further boosts an already dominant record that by year’s end would stand at an astounding 70-6. However, the tussle that will be remembered most comes in the semifinals when, facing two match points against five-time champion Roger Federer, Djokovic fights off both to prevail. With the Swiss serving at 5-3, 40-15 in the fifth, Djokovic takes a massive, go-for-broke hack on his return, hammering a clean crosscourt winner. Federer dumps a forehand into the net on his second match point, and Djokovic goes on to win, 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.
“If you’re playing somebody like Roger, you have to take your chances when they’re presented, otherwise you’re losing a match,” says Djokovic. “I had to take my chances. I was very close to being on my way back home.” It marks the second straight year in which Djokovic erases a pair of MPs against his longtime tour foe.
2015, def. Roger Federer, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Djokovic continues his build-out of the so-called 'Nole Slam', which will see the Serb simultaneously hold all four major titles: 2015 Wimbledon, 2015 US Open, 2016 Australian Open, and 2016 Roland Garros. In their 42nd career encounter, No. 1 Djokovic gets the best of No. 2 Federer, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, to secure the trophy. The victory is Djokovic’s third straight over Federer in a Slam decider, and levels their head-to-head at 21-21.
"I had my chances on my racquet," rues Federer, who manages to convert just four of 23 break-point opportunities. "But Novak did a great job of fending them off."
Says Djokovic, "To actually relive these moments again after 2011, it’s quite incredible. To win against one of the biggest rivals, an all-time Grand Slam champion, somebody that always keeps on fighting until the last point, keeps making you play an extra shot, all these things now are very special to me." Just when we begin to think he can’t top his 2011 output, Djokovic goes on to finish the year at 82-6.
2018, def. Juan Martin del Potro, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3
Nine years after his thrilling breakthrough against Roger Federer in a five-set US Open final, Juan Martin del Potro earns a shot at more Slam hardware. However, Djokovic is having none of it, handing the beloved Argentine a straight-sets, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 defeat to become only the seventh man to claim three or more US Open singles titles. What makes his triumph all the more remarkable is that he underwent a surgical procedure on his elbow in February.
"There was always part of me that imagined and believed and hoped that I could get back on the desired level of tennis very soon," says Djokovic, who pulls even with one-time idol Pete Sampras with Slam No. 14. “I expected after surgery that I would be back on a high level quite fast. But it took me three, four months really. I learned a lot about myself, learned to be patient, which was never really a strong side of me. But life showed me that it takes time."
