Against Djokovic, Sinner Matches a Feat Unseen Since 2010 on the ATP Tour

Friday night, after a high-level semifinal, Jannik Sinner defeated Novak Djokovic at Roland-Garros (6-4, 7-5, 7-6 in 3h16) to reach the final at Porte d’Auteuil for the first time in his career.

This victory also gives him the edge in their head-to-head record against the Serb (5 wins to 4). The Italian, now world No. 1, has also won his last four matches against Djokovic.

Before this semifinal in Paris, Sinner had gotten the better of the 38-year-old in the semifinals of the 2023 Davis Cup (6-2, 2-6, 7-5), in the final four of the 2024 Australian Open (6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3), and in the final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters 1000 (7-6, 6-3).

By winning four consecutive matches against the Serbian legend, Jannik Sinner also achieved a feat that hadn’t been seen on the ATP Tour since 2010.

Indeed, the last player to win four straight matches against Novak Djokovic before him was Andy Roddick. The American, a former world No. 1 who retired in 2012, accomplished this feat across two seasons, between 2009 and 2010.

He had defeated the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Australian Open (6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 2-1 ret.), the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 (6-3, 6-2), and the Canadian Open the same year (6-4, 7-6), as well as at the same stage of the Cincinnati Masters 1000 in 2010 (6-4, 7-5).