Where Does Djokovic's 2015 Season Stand In History?

[Obsi]

I think if he wins Paris and WTF, it's the best season ever.

 

[Fiero425]

I think if he wins Paris and WTF, it's the best season ever.

I just read an article that reiterated this with all the numbers! Already at 94% winning percentage and likely to improve it even with a loss in Bercy or London next month! ;-)

- http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/13927274/tennis-ten-things-learned-recent-asian-tours -

 

[Kirijax]

Crazy stuff. Everybody says it's boring, but there something special about one of the greatest seasons in history happening before your eyes. Even if you're not a Djoko fan, you have to appreciate the magnitude of what he's doing.

 

[nehmeth]

IF (big if), he wins Bercy and the WTF? It will be in the top three... all time.

 

[tented]

McEnroe still has the record for the best winning percentage: 96.47% (W/L 82–3) back in 1984, but Novak is approaching it, with 93.59% (73–5).

But in terms of the quality of titles won, Novak has already surpassed McEnroe's 1984.

Interestingly, as successful as Novak has been this year, it still hasn't been enough to make the Top 10 for number of titles won in a season. And even if he wins Paris and the WTF, it still won't be enough. (He currently has 9 titles -- to make the Top 10, he would need a minimum of 12.)

So, it's been a great year, without question, but still not officially a record-setting year.

 

[nehmeth]

McEnroe still has the record for the best winning percentage: 96.47% (W/L 82–3) back in 1984, but Novak is approaching it, with 93.59% (73–5).

But in terms of the quality of titles won, Novak has already surpassed McEnroe's 1984.

Interestingly, as successful as Novak has been this year, it still hasn't been enough to make the Top 10 for number of titles won in a season. And even if he wins Paris and the WTF, it still won't be enough. (He currently has 9 titles -- to make the Top 10, he would need a minimum of 12.)

So, it's been a great year, without question, but still not officially a record-setting year.

If you're counting along those lines only.

But, he's made the final of all four slams winning three of them. He's made the finals of 7 Master's Series (skipped Madrid), winning five. If he takes Paris and the WTF? That qualifies as top three in quality. (imo)

 

[tented]

McEnroe still has the record for the best winning percentage: 96.47% (W/L 82–3) back in 1984, but Novak is approaching it, with 93.59% (73–5).

But in terms of the quality of titles won, Novak has already surpassed McEnroe's 1984.

Interestingly, as successful as Novak has been this year, it still hasn't been enough to make the Top 10 for number of titles won in a season. And even if he wins Paris and the WTF, it still won't be enough. (He currently has 9 titles -- to make the Top 10, he would need a minimum of 12.)

So, it's been a great year, without question, but still not officially a record-setting year.

If you're counting along those lines only.

But, he's made the final of all four slams winning three of them. He's made the finals of 7 Master's Series (skipped Madrid), winning five. If he takes Paris and the WTF? That qualifies as top three in quality. (imo)

Yes, as I wrote, in terms of quality of titles, Novak has surpassed McEnroe's 1984. If Novak wins Paris and the WTF, he will improve his winning percentage to 83-5 or 94.32% (assuming he doesn't lose a match in London).

 

[dante1976]

That will actually qualifies him for best season ever
Even if he lost in finals (for example) it will be the best year in tennis history (no one ever played all GS/masters/wtf finals in a year especially with his winning percentage aka no one ever dominated tennis season like him in 2015).

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That will actually qualifies him for best season ever
Even if he lost in finals (for example) it will be the best year in tennis history (no one ever played all GS/masters/wtf finals in a year especially with his winning percentage aka no one ever dominated tennis season like him in 2015).

Karlovic is the only guy who beat Novak before finals this year. That too in only one small event, viz., Doha.

 

[Kirijax]

With Djokovic though, the level of the tournaments he has entered and won is outstanding. A lot of these players with over 10 tournaments a year played 250s or against even weaker competition. Besides the Slams and Masters, how many 500s has Djokovic played in this year? Two (Dubai, Beijing)? If he takes Paris and WTF, the numbers are going to be staggering. The measuring stick for years to come for other players.

This makes Murray's Montreal title all the more special. (Had to throw that in there)

 

[nehmeth]

This makes Murray's Montreal title all the more special. (Had to throw that in there)

Novak's Canada/Cinci runs have not produced his best tennis the last few years.

 

[Kirijax]

This makes Murray's Montreal title all the more special. (Had to throw that in there)

Novak's Canada/Cinci runs have not produced his best tennis the last few years.

Poor Novak. :snicker

 

[DarthFed]

If he wins both it is the 2nd best year ever. It's arguably the 2nd best even if he just wins YEC now.

 

[Mile]

So he should make one or two 250 or 500 events and lock the numbers. But he went hard way.

 

[Obsi]

There is a podcast on Tennis.com. They discuss the issue http://www.tennis.com/podcasts/

 

[nehmeth]

There is a podcast on Tennis.com. They discuss the issue http://www.tennis.com/podcasts/

You would think after all the podcasts they've done, they would have developed their speaking skills. God, but that was painful to listen to. :coverras:

 

[Kieran]

I think it's one of the great seasons, but we always overlook Laver winning four majors in one year, which has yet to be matched, and I think that McEnroe faced much better opponents in 1984.

No matter what else Novak does this year, I prefer him in 2011...

 

[El Dude]

Kieran makes a good point. Novak had a prime Rafa to deal with in 2011. If you look at Rafa's record in 2011 vs. 2010, literally the only difference is his poor record against Novak in 2011. Otherwise his record is exactly the same.

2010: 71-10 (88%)
2011: 69-15 (82%)

Without Novak matches:

2010: 69-10 (87%)
2011: 69-9 (88%)

Again, Rafa was the same player in 2011 as he was in 2010, which is considered by most his best year. Actually, he had one less loss against non-Novak opponents in 2011. The fact that Novak beat him 6-0 that year is remarkable to say the least, and there is simply no equivalent this year.

So who did Novak lose to in 2011 and 2015?

2011:
Janko Tipsarevic, WTF round robin
David Ferrer, WTF round robin
J-W Tsonga, Paris Masters QF
Kei Nishikori, Basel SF
Andy Murray, Cincinnati finals
Roger Federer, Roland Garros SF

2015:
Roger Federer, Cincinnati Masters final
Andy Murray, Montreal Masters final
Stan Wawrinka, Roland Garros Slam final
Roger Federer, Dubai ATP 500 final
Ivo Karlovic, Qatar ATP 250 QF

Another amazing stat from Novak this year: in only one tourament, ATP 250 Qatar, did he not make the final. That's absurd. It is actually reminiscent of Roger's 2006 in which he played 17 tournaments and reached the final in 16 of them.

 

[isabelle]

Nole should stay away from 250, Doha was a mistake and his only "ridiculous" loss

 

[Kirijax]

Kieran makes a good point. Novak had a prime Rafa to deal with in 2011. If you look at Rafa's record in 2011 vs. 2010, literally the only difference is his poor record against Novak in 2011. Otherwise his record is exactly the same.

2010: 71-10 (88%)
2011: 69-15 (82%)

Without Novak matches:

2010: 69-10 (87%)
2011: 69-9 (88%)

Again, Rafa was the same player in 2011 as he was in 2010, which is considered by most his best year. Actually, he had one less loss against non-Novak opponents in 2011. The fact that Novak beat him 6-0 that year is remarkable to say the least, and there is simply no equivalent this year.

So who did Novak lose to in 2011 and 2015?

2011:
Janko Tipsarevic, WTF round robin
David Ferrer, WTF round robin
J-W Tsonga, Paris Masters QF
Kei Nishikori, Basel SF
Andy Murray, Cincinnati finals
Roger Federer, Roland Garros SF

2015:
Roger Federer, Cincinnati Masters final
Andy Murray, Montreal Masters final
Stan Wawrinka, Roland Garros Slam final
Roger Federer, Dubai ATP 500 final
Ivo Karlovic, Qatar ATP 250 QF

Another amazing stat from Novak this year: in only one tourament, ATP 250 Qatar, did he not make the final. That's absurd. It is actually reminiscent of Roger's 2006 in which he played 17 tournaments and reached the final in 16 of them.

The year 2011 was great no doubt, but he really did run out of gas at the end of the year. So far in 2015, there is no indication of that.