The trio who have never lost to Novak Djokovic in a tournament final
Novak Djokovic is one of only 3 active players, 5 overall in the Open Era to have won all 4 Grand Slam tournaments, becoming the latest player to do so following his win over Andy Murray in the 2016 Roland Garros final.
The Serb has the most Masters 1000 titles (34) behind all-time title leader Rafael Nadal (35) and has won more matches at Grand Slam tournaments (287) than any player except Roger Federer (362). Djokovic is the only player to win all 9 Masters 1000 tournaments on the tennis calendar, a feat termed the 'Career Golden Masters' while his streak of 15 consecutive multiple title-winning seasons (2006 to 2020) is only equalled by Nadal (2005 to 2019).
The reigning world no. 1 lifted the 79th singles title of his career at the 2020 Dubai Open, in the process extending his perfect start to the season to 18-0, having won all 6 of his matches for Serbia at the inaugural ATP Cup and then lifting a record-extending 8th Australian Open title.
Djokovic has met 31 different opponents in tournament finals, with 22 of them failing to best the Serb when a title has been on the line. On that note, let us meet the exclusive trio who have never lost to Djokovic in a tournament final.
#3 Tommy Haas (1-0)
Tommy Haas met Djokovic for the only time in a tour-level final at the 2009 Halle Open. Haas had failed to take a set off the younger Serb in the pair's two previous meetings in the third rounds at 2006 Roland Garros and 2009 Indian Wells respectively.
But on the day, it was the former world no. 2 who made the brighter start, taking the opening set for the loss of just seven games. Djokovic restored parity by winning the second on a tie-break but failed to build on his momentum as Haas dropped just one game in the decider en route to capturing his first grasscourt title.
#2 Karen Khachanov (1-0)
Having felled three Top-10 players on his way to a maiden Masters 1000 final at the 2018 Paris-Bercy Masters, Karen Khachanov met four-time champion Djokovic for a shot at the title.
It was the then 32-time Masters 1000 winner who made the swifter start by taking an early break but Khachanov soon found his way into the contest. Pummelling holes in Djokovic's potent baseline game with his blistering forehand, the younger Russian broke his opponent twice to take the opener 7-5.
Riding on his momentum, Khachanov took an early break and lead, which he never relinquished as he surged past the finish line in an hour and 39 minutes to win the biggest title of his career. The loss ended Djokovic's 22 match win-streak as Khachanov became the 66th different player to triumph at a Masters 1000 tournament.
#1 Alexander Zverev (2-0)
After beating the 4-time champion in the final of the 2017 Rome Masters to become one of the youngest players ever to lift a Masters 1000 title, 21-year old Alexander 'Sascha' Zverev met Djokovic in the final of the season-ending 2018 ATP Finals.
Having lost to the 5-time champion in the round robin stage of the tournament, Zverev started as an underdog against the player who had won 36 consecutive games leading to the final.
But on the day, Zverev flipped the script in stunning style, breaking Djokovic as many as four times in the match. The young German never looked back after breaking Djokovic at 4-4 in the first set, sealing the biggest title of his career with a blistering backhand winner reminiscent of the one Djokovic himself produced against Federer in the 2012 final.
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