Comparative analysis of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic at the 17-Slam mark

#4 Losses to fewest number of different opponents

Djokovic at the 2020 Australian Open

At the time of winning his 17th Grand Slam title at 2012 Wimbledon, Federer had lost 36 matches in Grand Slam play. Nadal (8), and Djokovic (5) led a group of 22 different players to have overwhelmed the Swiss in Majors during this period.

Nadal, who had the fewest defeats (31) of the Big 3 at the 17 Grand Slam title mark, has surprisingly come up second best against 24 different players. Djokovic (4), Federer (2), and Gilles Muller (2), Lleyton Hewitt (2) and Andy Murray (2) are the players to have beaten Nadal multiple times in Grand Slam tournaments during this period.

The corresponding numbers for Djokovic are 43 defeats against 16 different players. Nadal (9) and Federer (6) have inflicted the most Grand Slam defeats on the 32-year-old Serb.

WINNER: Djokovic

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#5 Longest overall match-winning streak

Djokovic at 2016 Roland Garros

After 3 final reverses in Roland Garros finals, Djokovic emerged triumphant at the fourth time of asking in 2016 when he came back from a set down to beat Andy Murray. It meant that Djokovic became the first player in the Open Era since Rod Laver (1969) to hold all 4 Grand Slam titles at the same time.

Since losing to Stan Wawrinka in the 2015 Roland Garros final, the Serb won 30 consecutive Grand Slam matches before losing to Sam Querrey in the third round at 2016 Wimbledon.

Between successive losses to Nadal in the 2005 Roland Garros semifinals and 2006 Roland Garros final, Federer won 27 consecutive Grand Slam matches. He had another similar streak immediately after, and Nadal ended it again with a win in the 2007 Roland Garros final.

Nadal's longest consecutive Grand Slam match win streak is 25 matches, which he accomplished between 2010 Roland Garros to the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open.

WINNER: Djokovic

#6 Longest consecutive match-winning streak at a Major

Federer at 2008 Wimbledon

Federer won a staggering 40 consecutive matches at Wimbledon between 2003 and 2008 before being thwarted by Nadal in a pulsating final, where the Swiss had come within 2 points of a 6th consecutive title.

If that was not impressive enough, Federer repeated the feat at the US Open, reeling off 40 consecutive wins between 2004 and 2009 before losing to Juan Martin del Potro, after once again coming within 2 points of a 6th consecutive title.

Nadal's longest consecutive match-win streak at a Major is 39, which he accomplished at Roland Garros between losses to Robin Soderling (2009 fourth round) and Djokovic (2015 Quarterfinals) - the Spaniard's only two losses at the tournament.

Djokovic's longest consecutive match win streak at a Major is 25, which he accomplished at the Australian Open between 2011 and 2014 (lost to Wawrinka in the quarterfinals).

WINNER: Federer

#7 Longest consecutive overall final-winning streak

Federer lifts his 17th Grand Slam title at 2012 Wimbledon

Federer is the only player in the Open Era to win his first 7 Grand Slam finals, which he accomplished between 2003 Wimbledon and 2006 Australian Open.

That is the joint-longest Grand Slam final winning-streak amongst the Big 3.

Nadal also won 7 consecutive Grand Slam finals between 2008 and 2011 Roland Garros, Federer being at the receiving end on 4 occasions.

Djokovic's longest Grand Slam final winning streak is 5, which is an ongoing one, following his win at the 2020 Australian Open.

WINNER: Federer and Nadal