What is it that enables Novak to win so many trophies?

This unwritten rule states that after winning a challenging game, Nole’s engines kick into high gear, making him unstoppable until the end of the tournament.

In the world of tennis, the most impactful moments often occur during the most prominent tournaments. Overcoming a two-set deficit to secure a victory is undeniably one of the most demanding accomplishments in the sport. Not only does it require mental fortitude, but it also necessitates a significant shift in gameplay strategy. Picture playing subpar tennis for nearly two hours while your adversary dominates the court. Then, suddenly, everything changes, and you mount a stunning comeback when all hope appears lost. Rather than preparing for the subsequent tournament, you advance to the next round with the possibility of even more monumental triumphs.

Novak Djokovic has traversed this particular path on eight occasions, with his most recent appearance being during the third round of the US Open, where he faced off against Laslo Djere.

He failed to win the championship trophy twice despite saving a 0-2 set deficit. He first experienced this when he was a young, inexperienced player.

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On his debut at Wimbledon in 2005, Novak Djokovic was on the brink of defeat in the second round against Guillermo García Lopez. The Spaniard had won the first two sets 6-3, 6-3, and it seemed like Djokovic would lose. However, he showed incredible mental strength and resilience, winning three sets 7-6, 7-6, 6-4, and saving six match points. This victory secured his place in the top 100 and helped build his reputation as a mentally tough player.

He had been waiting six years to achieve a breakthrough but finally did it in entirely different circumstances. He played in the semifinals of the US Open against Roger Federer and managed to defeat him 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 after saving two match points.

He won his first title in New York after only two days. A year later, he faced Andreas Seppi in the Round of 16 at Roland Garros and lost with a score of 4:6, 6:7, 6:3, 7:5, 6:3. Although he did not win the Musketeer Cup, he broke through another barrier in his career. His triumph against the Italians led him to his first Paris final. From then on, every time he won a match after being down 0:2 in sets, Novak went on to win the tournament - until this year’s US Open, which is still ongoing.

Throughout his career, he has achieved remarkable feats. One of the most memorable moments was at Wimbledon in 2015, when he defeated Kevin Anderson in the round of 16 with a score of 6:7, 6:7, 6:1, 6:4, 7:5. At Roland Garros in 2021, he repeated this incredible comeback twice. First, in the round of 16, he overturned the match against Lorenzo Musetti after the Italian surrendered to the Serb’s lead with a score of 6:7, 6:7, 6:1, 6:0, 4:0. Then, in the final, he came back from two sets down against Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the match with a score of 6:7, 2:6, 6:3, 6:2, 6:4.

Novak Djokovic’s most recent success of this kind was at last year’s Wimbledon. On his way to winning his seventh Wimbledon title, he defeated Janik Siner in the quarterfinals with a score of 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Djokovic can rightfully be expected to use this win against Djere to achieve great success, possibly even winning his fourth title at Flushing Meadows.

An interesting fact to consider is that Novak Djokovic does not hold the record for the most come-from-behind victories after losing the first two sets in tennis. This impressive achievement belongs to Andy Murray, who has accomplished it eleven times during his career. This surpasses the previous record set by Thanasi Kokkinakis from Australia last year in Melbourne.

Three other players join Murray with ten such victories each, including Roger Federer, Boris Becker, and Aaron Krickstein. Fabio Fognini, Todd Martin, and Vitas Gerulaitis have also won nine such matches, while Marin Cilic, Bjorn Borg, and Jimi Connors have accomplished the feat eight times each.