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Stat of the Day: Jannik Sinner defeats Novak Djokovic twice in 12 days, joins exclusive list

The Italian is just the third player ever to achieve that feat, alongside Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

ByJohn Berkok

Published Nov 25, 2023

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Jannik Sinner pulled off a nail-biting 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory over Novak Djokovic in the Davis Cup semifinal clash between Italy and Serbia on Saturday, rallying from triple match point down at 4-5, 0-40 in the third set to level the tie at one apiece.

It was his second win over Djokovic in as many weeks—he also won a thriller against the world No. 1 in the round-robin stage of the ATP Finals last Tuesday, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2).

And with those two wins, he pulled off something very rare: Sinner is just the third man ever to defeat Djokovic twice in 12 days, alongside Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Sinner’s wins came on Tuesday, November 14th and Saturday, November 25th—11 days apart, and a 12-day span.

Nadal and Murray did it in 2008, in slightly shorter 10-day spans.

Nadal defeated Djokovic in the semifinals of Roland Garros on June 6th, 2008 and then again in the final of Queen’s Club on June 15th, 2008—nine days apart, and a 10-day span.

Murray defeated Djokovic in the quarterfinals of Canada on July 25th, 2008 and then again in the final of Cincinnati on August 3rd, 2008—also nine days apart, and also a 10-day span.

Sinner is the first player to defeat Djokovic twice in a 12-day span in over 15 years.

Sinner is the first player to defeat Djokovic twice in a 12-day span in over 15 years.

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It’s worth noting that unlike those two scenarios, Djokovic did get revenge against Sinner in between the Italian’s two wins, beating him in the final of the ATP Finals last Sunday, 6-3, 6-3.

It’s also worth noting that two players were just a day away from making this list, too. Mikhail Youzhny beat Djokovic twice in a 13-day span in 2007 (in the first round of Marseille on February 12th and then in the semifinals of Rotterdam on February 24th) and Nick Kyrgios also did it in a 13-day span in 2017 (in the quarterfinals of Acapulco, which finished the morning of March 3rd, and in the fourth round of Indian Wells on March 15th).

Italy would end up clinching a 2-1 semifinal win over Serbia with a victory in the deciding doubles rubber, with Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego defeating Djokovic and Miomir Kecmanovic, 6-3, 6-4.