Friday, Emma Raducanu made history at the US Open when he became the first to finish the game – male or female – to win one title. It was his first job on a big project. On Sunday, Novak Djokovic is set to make history with his 21st.
The 34-year-old Serbian won his first Grand Slam trophy 13 years ago when he beat Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in four sets at the 2008 Australia Open. His last Grand Slam title came in July when he defeated Wimbledon to publish his third major in 2021. Yes, if Djokovic wins on Sunday he will also win the Grand Slam calendar.
MORE: Who is the Grand Slam?
Sporting News breaks everything you need to know as Djokovic tries to make history and become a full-time leader on major sporting topics.
What is a Grand Slam?
The tennis calendar is filled with games throughout the year, but players focus on four major games: the Grand Slams. Also known as majors, the two-week events are divided into four phases a year:
- Australia Open: Played in January, the tournament is held in Melbourne and is played in the courts.
- French Open: Also known as Roland Garros, this Paris senior usually starts in May and marks the end of the clay case season.
- Wimbledon: Running from late June to early July, it takes place in London and is played on grass.
- US Open: Since the end of August, this New York senior has been playing in solid courts.
At the Grand Slams, men play five out of five games.
How many Grand Slam titles has Novak Djokovic won?
Djokovic has won 20 titles in the last 30 Grand Slam matches. He loves the Down Under courts as much as his nine senior players have done in Melbourne. In the last ten years, five have come to the US Open, where they are 3-5 finishers. Only one thing about the 2021 US Open? That he does not play Rafael Nadal, who beat him in the final round of Slam including 2013 and 2015 US Opens.
MORE: Why Federer, Nadal is not playing in the 2021 US Open
Novak Djokovic Grand Slam titles
| No. | YEAR | Journey | The opponent IS the Yoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008 | Australia Open | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2) |
| 2 | 2011 | Australia Open | Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 3 | 2011 | Wimbledon | Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 |
| 4 | 2011 | US Open | Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1 |
| 5 | 2012 | Australia Open | Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 |
| 6 | 2013 | Australia Open | Andy Murray 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 |
| 7 | 2014 | Wimbledon | Roger Federer 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4 |
| 8 | 2015 | Australia Open | Andy Murray 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0 |
| 9 | 2014 | Wimbledon | Roger Federer 7-6 (1) 6-7 (10), 6-4, 6-3 |
| 10 | 2015 | US Open | Roger Federer 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 11 | 2016 | Australia Open | Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (3) |
| 12 | 2016 | French Open | Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 13 | 2018 | Wimbledon | Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3) |
| 14 | 2018 | US Open | Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 |
| 15 | 2019 | Australia Open | Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 16 | 2019 | Wimbledon | Roger Federer 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 |
| 17 | 2020 | Australia Open | Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 18 | 2021 | Australia Open | Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 19 | 2021 | French Open | Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 20 | 2021 | Wimbledon | Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 |
Novak Djokovic Grand Slam’s last loss
| No. | YEAR | Journey | The opponent IS the Yoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007 | US Open | Roger Federer 6-7 (4), 6-7 (2), 4-6 |
| 2 | 2010 | US Open | Rafael Nadal 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 2-6 |
| 3 | 2012 | French Open | Rafael Nadal 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 5-7 |
| 4 | 2012 | US Open | Andy Murray 6-7 (10), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, 2-6 |
| 5 | 2013 | Wimbledon | Andy Murray 4-6, 5-7. 4-6 |
| 6 | 2013 | US Open | Rafael Nadal 2-6, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6 |
| 7 | 2014 | French Open | Rafael Nadal 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 4-6 |
| 8 | 2015 | French Open | Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 4-6 |
| 9 | 2016 | US Open | Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (1), 4-6, 5-7, 3-6 |
| 10 | 2020 | French Open | Rafael Nadal 0-6, 2-6, 5-7 |
US OPEN 2021: Can Novak Djokovic win the Grand Slam? Stan Wawrinka weighs in
Who won the Grand Slams in the men’s game?
Upon entering the US Open on Sunday, three players were arrested in the men’s Grand Slam, while Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were all 20 years old.
These leaders, known as “The Big 3,” have plans to act on whether they want to gain a full-time male or female history. Instead, they were all arrested on the fourth floor. Margaret Court won Grand Slam titles (24). Serena Williams has won 23 and Steffi Graf, who is also the last player to win the Grand Slam calendar, is 22 years old.
Unmarried men
| Player | AUS OPENING | FRENCH OUT | US TITSEKA | WIMBLEDONI | ALL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Nadal | 1 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 20 |
| Roger Federer | 6 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 20 |
| Novak Djokovic | 9 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 20 |
| Pete Sampras | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 14 |
| Roy Emerson | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Rod Laver | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| Bjorn Borg | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| Bill Tilden | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
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