Novak Djokovic’s 11 losses to US players: ft Reilly Opelka, Andy Roddick defeats
Novak Djokovic has dominated the ATP Tour throughout large chunks of his career, and that is particularly the case when it comes to facing American players.
The Serbian has met players from the United States on 96 occasions and has won an impressive 85 of those matches, including an eight-and-a-half-year run of no defeats between 2016 and 2025.
Djokovic’s loss to Reilly Opelka was just his 11th loss against an American opponent; here, we look at all of those rare defeats.
Reilly Opelka – 2025 Brisbane International QF
Overall H2H: 1-0 Opelka
In his first meeting against Opelka, Djokovic was unable to break the big-serving American as the world No 293 pulled off a stunning upset in the last eight of the Brisbane International.
Opelka defeated the Serbian 7-6(6), 6-3, and will play for his fifth ATP Tour singles title against Jiri Lehecka in the Brisbane final on Sunday.
Sam Querrey – 2016 Wimbledon R3, 2012 Paris Masters R2
H2H: 9-2 Djokovic
Before his loss to Opelka, Djokovic had not lost to a US player since his shock Wimbledon exit to former world No 11 Querrey in 2016.
The Serbian held all four major titles at the time and was an overwhelming tournament favourite, though was beaten 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5) by Querrey in one of the biggest SW19 upsets of recent times.
That was not the first time Querrey had beaten the 24-time major winner, having won 0-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 at the Paris Masters in 2012.
However, Djokovic won all nine of their other encounters, including a final meeting at the 2019 Cincinnati Open.
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John Isner – 2013 Cincinnati Open QF, 2012 Indian Wells SF
Overall H2H: 10-2 Djokovic
Djokovic dominated his head-to-head against former world No 8 Isner, though the big-serving American was able to pick up two big wins over the tennis icon on home turf.
Isner first beat Djokovic in the semi-finals of Indian Wells in 2012, battling to a 7-6(7), 3-6, 7-6(5) victory to reach his first-ever Masters 1000 final.
The following year the American again picked up another significant win over the Serbian at a home Masters event, beating Djokovic 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5 in the last eight of the Cincinnati Open.
That would be the last taste of success for Isner in this match-up, with Djokovic winning all of their remaining seven meetings.
Andy Roddick – 2010 Cincinnati Open QF, 2009 Canadian Open QF, 2009 Indian Wells QF, 2009 Australian Open QF, 2008 Dubai Tennis Championships SF
Overall H2H: 5-4 Roddick
One of just a select handful of players to hold a winning head-to-head over Djokovic, former world No 1 Roddick one five of their nine matches.
Roddick first defeated Djokovic in their second meeting, prevailing 7-6(5), 6-3 when they met in the last four of the Dubai Tennis Championships in 2008.
After losing to the Serbian at the 2008 US Open, the American would then win four straight matches between the two.
Roddick triumphed as Djokovic retired injured in the fourth set of their 2009 Australian Open quarter-final, and then stormed to a 6-3, 6-2 win in the last eight of Indian Wells just weeks later.
He then defeated the Serbian 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Canadian Open quarter-finals that summer, and a year later downed Djokovic 6-4, 7-5 in the last eight in Cincinnati.
That was the final win for Roddick against Djokovic, who won their final two meetings to claw back some ground in their head-to-head.
Paul Goldstein – 2006 Australian Open R1
Overall H2H: 2-1 Djokovic
Former world No 58 Goldstein managed to get a win in over Djokovic at the Australian Open before the Serbian would go on to dominate the event over the next decade and a half.
In the opening round of the 2006 tournament, Goldstein defeated an 18-year-old Djokovic 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.
That was the first meeting between the two, and Djokovic would win their remaining two clashes before the American’s retirement in 2008.
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