Most appearances, match wins, Golden Slam: The tennis records Novak Djokovic is still chasing
There are plenty of records Novak Djokovic is still chasing even though he’s broken several of the top ones in the sport
Chryslene Caillaud/Panoramic)
Novak Djokovic has finally got that record he’s been longing for – he has equalled Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam triumphs.
Not only that, but he’s still going. The 36-year-old might have been joking about sticking around for another 24 or 25 years – but certainly a few more seasons are on the cards.
Let’s take a look at some of the milestones in men’s tennis the Serbian is still chasing.
Federer’s Grand Slam tallies
Roger Federer’s prodigious talent and impressively long career means he has set many of the records of longevity that Djokovic covets. It’s the Swiss who has the most wins at a Grand Slam – 369 – and the most matches played, 429.
Djokovic is also some way behind Federer and Feliciano Lopez who are tied on 81 for most appearances at a Grand Slam – Djokovic is on 72.
The percentage games – behind Borg and Laver
Djokovic is second behind Bjorn Borg in Grand Slam match winning percentage; the Swede has an 89.2 per cent record, 141 wins to 17 losses, Djokovic has obviously played many more matches.
Of his 36 Grand Slam finals, Djokovic has won 24 of them, giving him a 66.7% winning record – the sixth-best percentage. Rod Laver leads that table but he played just six finals, winning five of them.
A Grand Slam title 10 years in a row
There’s a Rafael Nadal record that he will be working to beat, and Djokovic’s recent words about his intended longevity hint at that – the Spaniard won a Grand Slam title in 10 consecutive years. So far, Djokovic has won a Grand Slam title in six consecutive years, twice over, missing out in 2017 due to injury. For him to break that record, he will need to win at least one Slam every year till 2028!!
Nadal and Federer leading the way
Djokovic currently doesn’t have the most match wins at any Grand Slam – he would need to play for at least two more years to top the charts at any of them. At the Australian Open, Federer has 102 match wins (Djokovic second on 89); at Roland-Garros, Nadal has 112 (Djokovic second on 92); at Wimbledon, Federer has 105 match wins (Djokovic second on 92); at the US Open, Jimmy Connors has 98 (Djokovic third on 88).
He has also never won a Slam without dropping a set, which both Nadal and Federer have (Nadal at the French in 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2020, Federer at the Australian in 2007 and Wimbledon in 2017).
Going for gold
And of course, he still hasn’t completed the calendar-year Grand Slam. He’ll have another chance next year, of course – when he may even be able to complete the golden Slam if he can win the Olympic Games in Paris.
After winning the ATP Finals in Turin in November 2023 for the record seventh time, Djokovic was asked how he could improve on his fabulous 2023 season and the Serb responded with this gem. “Well, you can win four slams and an Olympic gold. I have always the highest ambitions and goals. That’s not going to be different for the next year.
Connors’ record of most ATP singles titles
Djokovic’s 2023 ATP Finals triumph was the 98th title of his outstanding career but he’s still third on the all-time list for titles won by a male player in the Open Era. Federer lies ahead of the Serb with 103 singles titles and American Jimmy Connors leads them both with 109 singles titles.
