TENNIS

Tennis Players With a Winning Record Against Novak Djokovic

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Novak Djokovic, tennis player from Serbia

It’s not easy to list all the records held by Novak Djokovic, the greatest tennis player of all time. One of the strongest arguments in his favor in the famous “GOAT debate” is the fact that he has a winning head-to-head record against all of his biggest rivals—Nadal, Federer, Murray, and Alcaraz.

However, there are a few players who actually hold a winning record against Djokovic, and we’ll take a closer look at them here.

1. JANNIK SINNER (5–6)

The player Djokovic has faced the most times (11) without leading the head-to-head is Jannik Sinner 🇮🇹. Djokovic led 4–1 after their first five meetings, but the Italian won the next five matches.Novak ended that streak with a triumph in the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2026. In doing so, he reduced Sinner’s advantage to the current 6-5 in favor of the Italian.

 

2. ANDY RODDICK (4–5)

The rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick 🇺🇸 was a real rollercoaster. Djokovic went ahead 2–1, only for Roddick to rattle off four straight wins and take a 5–2 lead. Djokovic won their final two meetings, leaving the American with a narrow 5–4 edge overall.

 

3. IVO KARLOVIĆ (1–2)

Standing 211 cm tall with one of the most feared serves in tennis history, Ivo Karlović 🇭🇷 was a nightmare for many players, especially on faster courts. Djokovic won their only clay-court meeting, but Karlović took both of their matches on hard courts, finishing with a rare winning record (2–1) against the Serbian legend.

 

4. FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ (1–2)

One of Djokovic’s first big Grand Slam wins came against Fernando González 🇨🇱 at Roland Garros in 2006. Still, the Chilean claimed two Masters-level victories, cementing a 2–1 record in his favor.

 

5. NICK KYRGIOS (1–2)

From hostility to friendship, the Novak Djokovic–Nick Kyrgios 🇦🇺 relationship has gone through it all. Kyrgios won both of their meetings in 2017, before Djokovic struck back five years later in their biggest clash yet—the 2022 Wimbledon final. Kyrgios still leads 2–1.

 

6. JIRI VESELY (0–2)

Another tall opponent who has troubled Djokovic is 198 cm Czech lefty Jiri Vesely 🇨🇿. He currently leads their head-to-head 2–0, dropping just one set across those matches—one win on clay and the other on hard courts in Dubai.

 

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7. MARAT SAFIN (0–2)

Another former world No. 1 with a winning record over Djokovic is Marat Safin 🇷🇺. Their first meeting, a 6–0, 6–2, 6–1 demolition at the 2005 Australian Open, was also Djokovic’s Grand Slam debut. Safin struck again three years later at Wimbledon, winning in straight sets.

 

8. ALEJANDRO TABILO (1–2)

Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 🇨🇱 stunned Djokovic twice in back-to-back seasons—first at the 2024 Rome Masters, then at the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters. Djokovic failed to win a set in either encounter. Novak has finally claimed his first win over Tabilo in Athens in 2025, setting the head-to-head at 2–1 for the Chilean.

 

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9. FILIPPO VOLANDRI (0–1)

In his ATP Tour debut at Umag 2004, Djokovic fell to Italian Filippo Volandri 🇮🇹 in the first round—their only career meeting. That left Volandri with a perfect 1–0 record over the man who would later become the GOAT.

 

10. DENNIS VAN SCHEPPINGEN (0–1)

Later that same year, Djokovic lost to little-known Dutchman Denis van Scheppingen 🇳🇱 in Bangkok. It was their only encounter, and van Scheppingen’s career-high ranking was No. 72 in 2004.

11. TARO DANIEL (0–1)

During his injury-plagued slump in 2018, Djokovic suffered several surprising early exits. One of them came against Japan’s Taro Daniel 🇯🇵 at Indian Wells, giving the Japanese player a memorable 1–0 record that still stands.

 

12. ANTONY DUPUIS (0–1)

Frenchman Antony Dupuis 🇫🇷 reached a career-high ranking of No. 57 in 2001. Four years later, he beat Djokovic 6–4, 7–5 in Valencia—a victory that remains one of the highlights of his career.

13. LUCA NARDI (0–1)

Italian youngster Luca Nardi 🇮🇹 is part of the new generation to score a rare win over Djokovic. He beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 at Indian Wells in 2024.

14. REILLY OPELKA (0–1)

Towering at 211 cm, Reilly Opelka 🇺🇸 is another big server with a perfect record against Djokovic. In early 2025, he ousted the Serbian in the Brisbane quarterfinals, winning 7–6, 6–3.

15. VALENTIN VACHEROT (0-1)

In the semifinals of the 2025 Shanghai Masters 🇨🇳, Novak was stopped by the world’s No. 204 player at the time, Valentin Vacherot 🇮🇩. It’s true that Djokovic struggled with a leg injury, but his opponent was in exceptional form. For the player from Monaco, this result secured a place inside the ATP Top 40.

 

Conclusion

One thing is certain: Safin, Volandri, González, Roddick, van Scheppingen, Karlović, and Dupuis will forever remain on the short list of players with a winning record over Djokovic. For the others—there’s still time for a rematch!

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