Novak Djokovic reveals where he ranks 2023 among his best ever seasons

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Novak Djokovic at the 2023 ATP Finals
Novak Djokovic celebrates at the 2023 ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic has explained he considers his 2023 campaign to be one of the finest seasons of his career, but he does not rank it as his best ever year.

The world No 1 highlighted his incredible 2011 and 2015 seasons as years in which he won more matches, played more tournaments and felt “very dominant on the tour.”

The 36-year-old sealed a record-extending eighth ATP year-end world No 1 finish with his entertaining three-set victory over Holger Rune in his opening match at the 2023 ATP Finals on Sunday.

Djokovic has won six titles, earned 52 wins and lost only five matches in 2023 to date, giving him a stunning 91.2% win rate. This is the fourth season of his career where he has won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments, following 2011, 2015 and 2021.

In 2011, Djokovic posted a 70-6 (92.1%) record and started the year with an insane 41-match winning streak that featured seven titles. He also dominated his great rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, registering 6-0 and 4-1 head-to-heads against the Spaniard and the Swiss respectively.

The Serbian had his greatest season statistically, though, in 2015, where he compiled a stratospheric 82–6 (93.2%) record. During the year, he won 11 titles and either won or made the final at every big event (Grand Slams, ATP Finals and Masters 1000) he entered.

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic told which player is his ‘biggest threat’ at ATP Finals by former world No 4

Speaking after he kicked off his year-end championships campaign with his triumph against Rune, Djokovic discussed the greatest seasons of his career.

“One of the best years. I wouldn’t say the best, but one of the best. I mean, the fact that I’ve won three out of four Slams and played a final [in] the fourth and it’s still not the best year of my life, it’s quite nice to have that kind of situation (smiling),” assessed the 36-year-old in his press conference.

“It’s definitely one of the best seasons. I mean, I had couple of years, I think three [other] times, that I won three out of four Slams in a season, like 2011, 2015. In those years, I won more matches. I mean, I played more tournaments. I was really, I mean, feeling very dominant on the tour.

“It’s quite different circumstances this year comparing to all the other years because I played, what, 10, 11 tournaments this year. I played very well – least of anybody. I just managed to peak at the right tournaments, at the right time. That’s what matters to me really.

“I mean, Grand Slam season, one of the best for sure. Overall, especially in the last couple months, I haven’t lost a match since Wimbledon, so I’ve been feeling great on the court and playing really well. But it’s hard to compare.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion will face world No 4 Jannik Sinner in his second round-robin match in Turin, before facing Stefanos Tsitsipas. The 22-year-old Italian earned a convincing 6-4, 6-4 win over Tsitsipas in his opening match.

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic reflects after extending two ‘huge’ records with Holger Rune victory

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