5 similarities between the careers of Nadal and Djokovic
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are two of the biggest names in men's tennis. Together with Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic constitute the famed Big-3 trifecta of the game.
The most prominent among a plethora of records possessed by the duo include the two highest tallies of Grand Slam titles after Federer - Nadal (19), Djokovic (16) - and also the two highest tallies of Grand Slam match wins after Federer - Nadal (271), Djokovic (280).
Djokovic (26) and Nadal (24) are responsible for the most defeats suffered by record-20 time Slam champion Federer. Moreover, 10 of Federer's 11 Grand Slam final losses have come at the hands of either Nadal (6) or Djokovic (4).
Separated only by a year in age, the duo are the only active players other than Federer to win the career Grand Slam (the feat of winning all four Grand Slam titles during the course of one's career).
On that note, let us look at five striking similarities between two of the most successful players to have ever played the game:
#1 Both Nadal and Djokovic won their first 34 Masters 1000 titles from 50 finals
Djokovic reached the 2019 Paris-Bercy Masters final to become the first player after Federer (2019 Miami) and Nadal (2019 Rome) to play a staggering tally of 50 Masters 1000 finals.
In the title match, Djokovic beat first-time Masters 1000 finalist Denis Shapovalov in straight sets to win a record-extending fifth title at the venue and move to within one of Nadal's all-time tally of 35 Masters trophies.
Incidentally, Nadal also won his 50th Masters 1000 final - which came about at 2019 Rome. In the final, the Spaniard beat none other than Djokovic himself in three sets to win a record-extending 9th title in the Italian capital, in the process breaking a tie (33) with the Serb for most Masters 1000 titles.