Baghdatis Recalls Feeling “Taught a Lesson” by Novak Djokovic
Former world number eight Marcos Baghdatis has identified Novak Djokovic as the most challenging opponent he faced during his 16-year professional career. The Cypriot, who competed on the ATP Tour from 2003 too 2019, finishing with a 349-274 record, frequently battled the sport’s elite, including Roger Federer, rafael Nadal, and Djokovic.
While Baghdatis secured a single victory against both Federer (out of eight matches) and Nadal (out of ten), both wins coming in 2010, he was unable to defeat Djokovic. He lost all eight of their encounters, though he managed to take a set from the Serb in five of those matches.
Reflecting on his career, Baghdatis stated that Djokovic stood out, simply because he never managed to overcome him. He acknowledged the strength of his generation,noting,”This generation with Andy Murray,Rafa,Roger,Novak – those were of course the four dominant players. But behind them you had the likes of del Potro, Wawrinka, cilic, Ferrer, Tsonga, Berdych. So many players who were at a very high level.”
However, one match in particular remains etched in his memory: their final meeting at the 2015 Indian Wells Masters. Baghdatis suffered a decisive 1-6, 3-6 defeat. ”I came off the court and had the feeling that the guy had taught me a lesson,” he recalled. “And I never felt that way against another player. Not with Roger, not with rafa. Even when I was young and played against Roger, I always thought: ’Next time I can beat him’. But with Djokovic I didn’t have that feeling – especially after this match.”
The 2015 season saw Djokovic reach the pinnacle of his form, concluding with an impressive 82-6 record and a total of eleven titles, including three Grand Slam championships and six Masters 1000 trophies. This dominant performance underscored the difficulty Baghdatis experienced in attempting to break through against the Serbian star.
