4 players who have defeated Novak Djokovic in consecutive weeks ft. Jannik Sinner

In the world of tennis, maintaining consistency is as crucial as mastering the sport's skills - a truth vividly reflected in Novak Djokovic's remarkable career. Dominating the courts, Djokovic has not only scooped up Majors, but also maintained an iron grip on the World No. 1 spot, brushing the milestone of 400 weeks at the top. His triumphs at the Grand Slams and his claim of the year-end No. 1 ranking for an unprecedented eighth time further etched his name in the annals of tennis history.

However, the Serbian maestro's journey has witnessed the rare stumble, brought forth by a select cadre of players who managed to eclipse his brilliance. There have been rare instances when he was outperformed. The spotlight's now on the four players who've successfully defeated Novak Djokovic in back-to-back weeks: Mikhail Youzhny, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, and Jannik Sinner.

#1 - Mikhail Youzhny (2007)

In the early part of 2007, Russian Mikhail Youzhny established himself as a formidable opponent for Novak Djokovic. At the Marseille Open, Youzhny overcame the then-fourth seed Djokovic in a nail-biting contest that stretched over two and a half hours, defeating him with a scoreline of 6-4, 4-6, 7-6. This set the stage for their next encounter at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, where Youzhny once again showed remarkable resilience. Surviving three match points, Youzhny upset Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5 in the semi-final of the World Indoor Tournament, underscoring his tenacity and tactical acumen.

#2 - Rafael Nadal (2008)

Rafael Nadal with his trophy at French Open

2008 witnessed Rafael Nadal's supremacy on both clay and grass against Djokovic. Their epic clash at the French Open semi-finals saw Nadal overpower Djokovic in straight sets with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (3), asserting his dominance on the Parisian clay. Just a week later, they faced each other on the grass courts of the Queen's Club Championships. Maintaining his excellent form, Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic again in the final, this time with a scoreline of 7-6 (6), 7-5, showcasing his versatility and adaptability across different surfaces.

#3 - Andy Murray (2008)

Andy Murray's rise to the top in 2008 included back-to-back victories over Djokovic. Murray's decisive victory over Djokovic in the Canada Masters quarter-finals in Toronto marked a significant turning point for him. He won the contest in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (3) after a grueling hour and forty-five-minute match. Their subsequent meeting at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati witnessed another fierce encounter. Despite Novak Djokovic's resilience, Murray's strategic play and clutch performance in critical moments of the match saw him prevail 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5).

#4 - Jannik Sinner (2023)

Jannik Sinner wins against Novak Djokovic at the Davis Cup semifinals 2023

The latest addition to this exclusive group is Jannik Sinner, whose recent exploits at the ATP Finals and Davis Cup semi-finals in 2023 have drawn widespread attention. Jannik Sinner had an epic round-robin clash with Novak Djokovic at the 2023 ATP Finals, winning 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2). However, Sinner ended up losing to Djokovic in the final of the ATP Finals.

Their rematch unfolded at the Davis Cup semi-finals, where Sinner, in a dramatic turn of events, saved three match points to defeat Djokovic 6-2, 2-6, 7-5, ensuring a memorable victory for Italy over Serbia.