"Born a week apart in 1987, finished a year on a tremendous 24-match winning streak not long after a loss at the US Open."
For Novak Djokovic, born May 22nd, 1987, that was 2013. He watched as Nadal caught up to him and passed him in the rankings that year, including beating him in a four-set US Open finals. However, the Serb was not about to lose again.
He won both his rubbers at a Davis Cup tie vs. Canada, beating both Milos Raonic and Vaskek Pospisil (Both of whom were in the top 50 at that time). Neiter player managed to win a set off Djokovic. Then Novak went to Beijing and beat Richard Gasquet in the semis and Nadal in the finals.
Novak won in Shanghai, beating Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Martin del Potro in the last three rounds. Challenges were coming his way, and Djokovic was meeting them with open arms.
At Paris, he beat David Ferrer in the finals, having overcome a pair of players from Switzerland in the previous rounds named Wawrinka and Federer. Roger won set of him. Wawrinka and Ferrer weren't so lucky. 6-4, 6-3 and 6-3, 6-3.
Federer, del Potro and Gasquet then put up spirited fights at the ATP Finals in London, but Djokovic beat them all in three sets. Wawrinka and Nadal managed to win a combined total of 13 games against Djokovic in the semifinals and finals. It was all-too-easy after three early scares.
One more hurdle existed in 2013 for Djokovic. The Davis Cup finals was against Czech Republic. Check out the score vs. Tomas Berdych. 6-4, 7-6, 6-2. Check out the score vs. Radek Stepanek, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic found himself being hounded by Andy Murray three years later. He lost the US Open finals to Wawrinka. But Novak beat Andy in the Australian Open final and later at the French Open finals.
Murray, though, won Wimbledon, and then the Olympics. He lost a Davis Cup tie vs. del Potro after losing in the quarters of the US Open. The loss to Juan was Andy's last of 2016.
He came to China following Great Britain's loss (Although Murray beat Guido Pella in his other singles' match) to Argentina at the Davis Cup. In China, Andy roared to the finals without losing a set. Grigor Dimitrov had been hammered into submission by Andy Murray in the round of sixteen at the US Open, and played much better in the finals. But not good enough to win a set. Murray won, 6-4, 7-6.
Shanghai, and the same. Murray didn't lose a set. In the finals, he beat Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6, 6-1.
Off to Vienna, and Andy was a little more human. He dropped a set in his first two matches, then didn't lose another. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the last to fall to him, 6-3, 7-6.
Paris saw Andy Murray beat Tomas Berdych in the quarters, Milos Raonic (by default) in the semis, and finally John Isner in the finals. This time, Murray dropped a set. He'd routed Isner at Vienna. Here, the Scotsman scraped by, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.
In the round robin of the ATP Finals in London, Murray dropped a set to Kei Nishikori. In the semifinals, Milos Raonic was his opponent. The Canadian gave him all he could handle, but Andy Murray found a way, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6.
The finals should have been a challenged, but Andy Murray had all the answers for Novak Djokovic's quest for another Year-End Championship. With a 6-3, 6-4 win, Murray had title #9 on the year, and would finish #1 for the first time in his career.
The 29-year old was born on May 15th, 1987, one week before his vanquished opponent, who happened to have five ATP Finals titles to his name. 2016 had started out frustrating for him. But it ended with 24 wins (Plus 2 more by default). Djokovic likewise ended 2013 with 24 consecutive victories, and still is great player on all surfaces. Both players will be 30 in May of next year. Their rivalry will no doubt continue to be a riveting one. However, other than the Grand Slams, they'll be looking out for the #1 ranking in 2017.
References
"Andy Murray Career Statistics." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Unknown, 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Murray_career_statistics>
"Novak Djokovic Career Statistics." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Unknown, 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Novak_Djokovic_ career_ statistics>
"Official Site of Men's Professional Tennis | ATP World Tour | Tennis." ATP World Tour. Emirates. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <http://www.atpworldtour.com/>
For Novak Djokovic, born May 22nd, 1987, that was 2013. He watched as Nadal caught up to him and passed him in the rankings that year, including beating him in a four-set US Open finals. However, the Serb was not about to lose again.
He won both his rubbers at a Davis Cup tie vs. Canada, beating both Milos Raonic and Vaskek Pospisil (Both of whom were in the top 50 at that time). Neiter player managed to win a set off Djokovic. Then Novak went to Beijing and beat Richard Gasquet in the semis and Nadal in the finals.
Novak won in Shanghai, beating Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Martin del Potro in the last three rounds. Challenges were coming his way, and Djokovic was meeting them with open arms.
At Paris, he beat David Ferrer in the finals, having overcome a pair of players from Switzerland in the previous rounds named Wawrinka and Federer. Roger won set of him. Wawrinka and Ferrer weren't so lucky. 6-4, 6-3 and 6-3, 6-3.
Federer, del Potro and Gasquet then put up spirited fights at the ATP Finals in London, but Djokovic beat them all in three sets. Wawrinka and Nadal managed to win a combined total of 13 games against Djokovic in the semifinals and finals. It was all-too-easy after three early scares.
One more hurdle existed in 2013 for Djokovic. The Davis Cup finals was against Czech Republic. Check out the score vs. Tomas Berdych. 6-4, 7-6, 6-2. Check out the score vs. Radek Stepanek, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic found himself being hounded by Andy Murray three years later. He lost the US Open finals to Wawrinka. But Novak beat Andy in the Australian Open final and later at the French Open finals.
Murray, though, won Wimbledon, and then the Olympics. He lost a Davis Cup tie vs. del Potro after losing in the quarters of the US Open. The loss to Juan was Andy's last of 2016.
He came to China following Great Britain's loss (Although Murray beat Guido Pella in his other singles' match) to Argentina at the Davis Cup. In China, Andy roared to the finals without losing a set. Grigor Dimitrov had been hammered into submission by Andy Murray in the round of sixteen at the US Open, and played much better in the finals. But not good enough to win a set. Murray won, 6-4, 7-6.
Shanghai, and the same. Murray didn't lose a set. In the finals, he beat Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6, 6-1.
Off to Vienna, and Andy was a little more human. He dropped a set in his first two matches, then didn't lose another. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the last to fall to him, 6-3, 7-6.
Paris saw Andy Murray beat Tomas Berdych in the quarters, Milos Raonic (by default) in the semis, and finally John Isner in the finals. This time, Murray dropped a set. He'd routed Isner at Vienna. Here, the Scotsman scraped by, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.
In the round robin of the ATP Finals in London, Murray dropped a set to Kei Nishikori. In the semifinals, Milos Raonic was his opponent. The Canadian gave him all he could handle, but Andy Murray found a way, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6.
The finals should have been a challenged, but Andy Murray had all the answers for Novak Djokovic's quest for another Year-End Championship. With a 6-3, 6-4 win, Murray had title #9 on the year, and would finish #1 for the first time in his career.
The 29-year old was born on May 15th, 1987, one week before his vanquished opponent, who happened to have five ATP Finals titles to his name. 2016 had started out frustrating for him. But it ended with 24 wins (Plus 2 more by default). Djokovic likewise ended 2013 with 24 consecutive victories, and still is great player on all surfaces. Both players will be 30 in May of next year. Their rivalry will no doubt continue to be a riveting one. However, other than the Grand Slams, they'll be looking out for the #1 ranking in 2017.
References
"Andy Murray Career Statistics." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Unknown, 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Murray_career_statistics>
"Novak Djokovic Career Statistics." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Unknown, 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Novak_Djokovic_ career_ statistics>
"Official Site of Men's Professional Tennis | ATP World Tour | Tennis." ATP World Tour. Emirates. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <http://www.atpworldtour.com/>
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