Novak Djokovic could be handed a chance to extend their most dominant record in tennis history
Novak Djokovic could be on course to have a chance to extend a remarkable winning record as he gets his 2025 off and running at the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane.
Top seed Djokovic has arrived in Australia and is preparing to play his first ATP Tour event since a run to the final of the Shanghai Masters last October.
He will be chasing his 100th career title in Brisbane and will fancy his chances of winning a tournament that also sees Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov and Denmark’s Holger Rune taking part.
Djokovic will take on Australian Rinky Hijikatain in what should be an entertaining opening match and he could then face veteran Frenchman Gael Monfils in round two.
That match-up would give Djokovic a chance to extend a remarkable record, as he has won all 19 of his matches against Monfils.
This is a record stands alone as the most dominant in tennis history, with Rafael Nadal’s 18 wins against France’s Richard Gasquet second in this list and Swedish legend Bjorn Borg’s 17-0 record against Vitas Gerulaitis another eye-catching statistic.
Monfils needs to get through his opening match against a qualifier in Brisbane to set up a potential clash against Djokovic and the 24-time Grand Slam winner would relish that clash.
“I guess his game is suitable to my game in terms of playing style, but we’ve had some very close matchups,” said Djokovic, who last beat Monfils in Cincinnati last year.
“I know his game very well. I know I have to always be ready that another ball will always come back from his part of the court, that you have to constantly try to have a controlled aggression… and dictate the point.”
Monfils has shown some humour when quizzed about his head-to-head record with Djokovic, but he will be keen to record at least one win against the player he has described as the greatest of all-time in the men’s game and he could get that chance in Brisbane.
Now 38, this match be the final time Monfils plays against 37-year-old Djokovic and he told Tennis366 earlier this month that the Serbian veteran is a big contender to win a remarkable 11th Australian Open title next month alongside Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Jannik Sinner.
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“You look at Carlos, Jannik, (Alexander) Zverev and all the top ten will be contenders in Melbourne, but the top two will be Jannik and Carlos,” Monfils told Tennis365 at the UTS Grand Final in London
“Novak is still a contender for the Australian Open. Of course he can win one more Grand Slam in his career and why can’t it be in Australia, where he has won it so many times? 11? That’s just amazing.”
Monfils also backed Djokovic to thrive after he called on the services of his old rival Andy Murray to offer him coaching advice at the Australian Open.
“Now he has Andy with him and this is great for the sport. We are all looking to see how he can match it all up,” he added.
“Andy loves the game and the sport so I am happy he is back so quickly. Of course, he wants to be back in the sport somehow and help.”
Best head-to-head records in tennis history:
1. Novak Djokovic vs Gael Monfils (19-0)
2. Rafael Nadal vs Richard Gasquet (18-0)
3= Bjorn Borg vs Vitas Gerulaitis (17-0)
3= Ivan Lendl vs Tim Mayotte (17-0)
3= Roger Federer vs David Ferrer (17-0)
3= Roger Federer vs Mikhail Youzhny (17-0)
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