Novak Djokovic will kick off the 2025 season in Brisbane. The Serb will compete in both draws, seeking his 100th ATP singles title and joining forces with Nick Kyrgios in the doubles draw! Novak and Nick battled in the 2022 Wimbledon final.
They were eager to form the doubles duo, but the Aussie had been struggling with injuries for a couple of years. After playing only one match in the previous 26 months, Kyrgios is ready to compete again.
Nick Kyrgios & Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2022© Stream screenshot
He and Djokovic wasted no time in forming an intriguing doubles partnership, picking Brisbane as the first event of their coolaboration. Thus, Kyrgios joins the list of Djokovic’s high-profile doubles partners. Novak is not considered a doubles specialist, always focusing on his singles duties.
However, he claimed one ATP doubles title with Jonathan Erlich at Queen’s 2010. The Serb embraced 13 Davis Cup doubles rubbers, winning five. Djokovic’s most recent notable doubles result came in Mallorca three years ago when he reached the final with Carlos Gomez-Herrera.
This was always going to be entertaining 😅
Presenting @NickKyrgios & @DjokerNole on the practice courts at #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/3Z50AAJIJx
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2024
Novak Djokovic’s most high-profile doubles partners
Novak played alongside Viktor Troicki 16 times, starting in the summer of 2003! They reached the Monte Carlo Masters semi-final in 2009. Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic stood on the same side of the court nine times, with their first match coming in Umag 2005.
They reached the semi-final at the 2015 Canada Masters, beating four top-20 rivals and missing their chance to fight for the title. Novak and his new coach Andy Murray joined forces as teenagers at the 2006 Australian Open, losing to Santoro and Zimonjic.
Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2024© Stream screenshot
During his early years, the Serb collected two doubles matches with the former world no. 7, Fernando Verdasco. They entered two Masters 1000 events and failed to pass the first obstacle. The former doubles world no. 4 Radek Stepanek joined Djokovic at two events.
They reached the Adelaide final in 2007, with Novak missing a chance to claim the singles and doubles title at the same event for the first time in a career! Two months later, Novak forged a team with the future Major finalist Robin Soderling in Indian Wells.
Djokovic and the former doubles world no. 1 Nenad Zimonjic competed together 12 times, two times at the Olympic Games! Novak learned a lot from his experienced compatriot, and they scored a couple of Davis Cup wins alongside the 2007 Cincinnati Masters quarter-final.
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🇦🇺🇷🇸 Kyrgios confirms that he and Djokovic will compete alongside each other in doubles – in Brisbane pic.twitter.com/CI2snB7PWl
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) December 16, 2024
Novak forges special doubles team with Rafael Nadal
Novak and Rafa battled against each other two times on the doubles court, with the Spaniard celebrating in both duels. Two great rivals stood on the same side of the court in Toronto in 2010, writing history books. The top-2 singles players played together for the first time since 1976!
At the 1976 Volvo International in North Conway, Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe competed together and reached the quarter-final. Thirty-four years later, the world’s leading players repeated their feat, playing against two young Canadians.
Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2024© Stream screenshot
Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic defeated the singles giants 5-7, 6-3, 10-8 in an hour and 34 minutes on Centre Court. Novak and Rafa converted two of eight break points. They suffered two breaks and failed to erase a massive deficit in the match tie break.
Carried by the home crowd, Raonic and Pospisil survived challenging games in the opening set and broke the rivals in game eight for 5-3. Novak and Rafa bounced back in style. They saved two set points on the return in game nine and started their comeback.
Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2024© Stream screenshot
The Serb and the Spaniard held in game ten for 5-5 and gained a boost. The more experienced players grabbed another break in game 11 and rattled off four games to take the opener 7-5. Djokovic and Nadal wasted break points in the fifth game of the second set.
It would cost them dearly in the end! Milos and Vasek earned a break in game eight, and Pospisil served out for the set in the next one to force a decider. The Canadians gained a boost and opened a 5-0 advantage in the match tie break.
Nadal and Djokovic fell 8-2 behind and faced four match points. Raonic and Pospisil converted the fourth at 9-8 to move over the top and beat the world’s best singles players.
Djokovic adds more notable players to the list of doubles partners
Novak and Stan Wawrinka were the rivals in the Major finals. However, they also competed together three times, reaching the Beijing Open semi-final in 2013. Djokovic and Kevin Anderson battled in the 2018 Wimbledon final. They stood on the same side of the court a few weeks later!
Novak and Kevin played at the Canada Masters together and took down Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut before losing to Mektic and Peya. Marin Cilic is another Major finalist who played alongside Djokovic in Dubai 2020.
Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros 2023© Stream screenshot
Novak and Matteo Berrettini scored a win at the 2022 Laver Cup over Alex de Minaur and Jack Sock. Former world no. 9 Fabio Fognini and Djokovic played together in Indian Wells five years ago. They passed three teams before falling to Kubot and Melo in the semi-final.
Djokovic forged an incredible rivalry with Roger Federer, battling for notable titles for over a decade. Their only doubles match came at the 2018 Laver Cup. Two legends faced Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock and experienced a 6-7, 6-3, 10-6 loss.
Team World players responded in the second set and claimed the match tie break to beat the singles giants.
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