Novak Djokovic has extended his unbeaten streak against Gael Monfils to 19-0, marking the longest undefeated run against a single rival in the Open Era.
Djokovic‘s 19-0 streak against Monfils now surpasses the previous record held by Rafael Nadal against Richard Gasquet, which stood at 18-0.
The imitator of famous tennis voices: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic…
The perfect winning streak against Monfils dates back 13 years to the 2005 US Open, where he secured victory in four sets.
Before kicking off their careers on the ATP Tour, Monfils had managed to defeat Djokovic, yet this success was never replicated in their professional encounters.
Djokovic thwarted Monfils‘ chances of winning two titles, namely at Paris Bercy in 2009 and Eastbourne in 2017.
Notably, Djokovic‘s dominance against Monfils is even more pronounced on cement courts, where he holds a flawless record of 17 sets won to none lost.
Djokovic marches on in Cincinnati
This win has propelled Djokovic into the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament.
Ranked number two in the world, Djokovic left no opportunity for Monfils, who holds the 211th ranking and was competing in the Cincinnati event with a protected ranking.
The Serbian star emerged victorious 6-4, 6-2 in a match lasting one hour and eight minutes on the central court of the Lindner Family Tennis Center, which was nearly filled to capacity for the match.
In the upcoming quarter-finals, Djokovic is set to face Taylor Fritz, ranked number nine in the world. Fritz progressed to the next round after Dusan Lajovic withdrew.
Djokovic is back in the USA
This tournament in Cincinnati marks Djokovic‘s return to the United States after a two-year hiatus. Prior to this year’s Cincinnati edition, Djokovic‘s most recent match in the country took place in the final of the 2021 US Open, during which he was defeated by Daniil Medvedev.
Over the past two years, Djokovic opted out of participating in American tournaments such as Indian Wells and Miami (held in March and April), as well as those held in August, due to his decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
In April, the US government revoked the vaccination requirement for non-residents and non-citizens entering the country.
The Cincinnati tournament serves as Djokovic‘s final preparation before he returns to Flushing Meadows for the US Open.
