Remember When: Djokovic hits different at the 2011 Australian Open

When Novak Djokovic’s career is complete, he’ll own at least 17 Grand Slam singles titles, 36 ATP Masters 1000 trophies and five season-ending championships. We’ll remember some of his 900-plus victories more than others, many of which took place in Melbourne, where he’s won a record eight Australian Opens.

At first glance, Djokovic’s romp through the 2011 field Down Under—he didn’t drop a set after the second round—wouldn’t seem overly memorable. But as it turned out, the fortnight was when Djokovic’s career trajectory began to change, and his now-monumental legacy started to take shape.

The run was a long time coming for Djokovic, who had struggled to shake the one-Slam wonder tag after winning his first major in Melbourne in 2008. Over the next three years, pundits attributed his on-court struggles—which included numerous mid-match retirements—to a lack of dedication. It didn’t help that two of his top rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, seemingly never lost during this stretch. At the end of the 2010 season, only one of the previous 22 Grand Slam finals didn’t include at least one of the Swiss or the Spaniard.

Djokovic later admitted that the pressure of expectations resulting from winning his first Grand Slam title hindered him in the pursuit of a second. Losing records against Federer and Nadal compounded his issues.

“I had won in Australia in 2008 and was No. 3 in the world, but I was not happy,” Djokovic said in an interview last year. “I knew I could do more, but I lost important games against Federer and Nadal.”

The 2011 Australian Open saw Djokovic’s tournament experience, improved play and revitalized belief fuse together for a dominant performance that had long-lasting implications. (Getty Images)

He even considered quitting the sport after a devastating loss to Jurgen Melzer in the 2010 Roland Garros quarterfinals, Djokovic’s only loss from two sets up through 2020.

“I cried when I left,” he revealed about that match. “I had a moment in my life, my career, when everything happened in a fusion in which I really did not see a reason to keep on playing, I wanted to quit tennis.”

By the end of year, however, things changed in an emphatic way. Through personal sacrifice (in the form of a gluten-free diet) and a renewed outlook (learning from his losses, instead of bemoaning them), Djokovic began winning again, most notably at the US Open, where he reached his first Grand Slam final in nearly three years. He lost to Nadal in a competitive four-setter, but picked up a title soon after in Beijing, then led Serbia to its first Davis Cup in front of a raucous home crowd in Belgrade. At long last, momentum was on Djokovic’s side.

With renewed confidence, and without the pressure of defending a title, Djokovic struck it out on his own in Melbourne, even with the ever-present shadows of Federer and Nadal. In the quarterfinal round, an uber-focused Djokovic dispatched sixth-ranked Tomas Berdych with ease, while David Ferrer ousted Nadal. Djokovic couldn’t avoid both of his rivals, though, as he ran into Federer in the semis.

No matter—a new Novak methodically topped the crowd favorite and defending champion, 7–6 (3), 7–5, 6–4.

Asked afterwards if the match was one of the best he’d ever played, Djokovic didn’t have to think too hard. “One of the best,” he said.

“One of the best, definitely.”

(Getty Images)

In the final—and in a sign of things to come—Andy Murray proved no match for Djokovic. The Brit had won their last three meetings, but on this day he lost in three sets.

The Serb turned in an all-star season, winning 10 titles, including three majors and five Masters 1000s. He reeled off 41 consecutive wins to begin the year—and then, after the streak ended, beat top-seeded Nadal in the Wimbledon final. With that win, Djokovic became No. 1 for the first time.

“I always believed I have the quality to beat those two guys,” Djokovic said in July 2011. (He would go on to beat Nadal in the US Open final, as well.) “I always believed I have the quality to win majors, Grand Slams, and that was the only way I could be here in this position, you know.”

Having gone 6–13 against Federer and 7–16 against Nadal before 2011, Djokovic has since turned around both rivalries to 27–23 and 29–27, respectively. In 2020, he tied his idol Pete Sampras with a record sixth year-end No. 1 finish.

All impressive stuff, which most tennis fans know by now. But little did they know 10 years ago that Djokovic’s stellar showing Down Under would kickstart his ascent—along with his assault on the history books.