Novak Djokovic extends Davis Cup singles winning streak to 21 in a row with win over Norrie
The win clinched Serbia’s spot in the semifinals of the Davis Cup Finals for the second time in the last three years.
Four days after winning his record-breaking seventh ATP Finals crown, Novak Djokovic was back on court at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain on Thursday, and he kept the milestones coming, beating Cam Norrie, 6-4, 6-4, for the 40th Davis Cup singles win of his career.
“Cameron Norrie is a great player and he battled hard out there,” Djokovic said afterwards in his on-court interview. “I haven’t played too many left-handers lately, so it is great to finish off the job.
“Playing for your country is always the greatest pressure and motivation. After a long season, we can feel it in the legs.”
Even more impressively, it was the world No. 1's 21st Davis Cup singles win in a row—it’s the fifth-longest singles winning streak in Davis Cup history, and he’s closing in fast on the fourth-longest.
LONGEST DAVIS CUP WINNING STREAKS (singles, all-time):
36: Marcos Baghdatis
33: Bjorn Borg
29: Rafael Nadal
22: Boris Becker
21: Novak Djokovic
Djokovic’s last singles loss in Davis Cup came on September 18th, 2011—over 12 years ago, or 4,449 days ago, to be exact—during the 2011 semifinal tie between Serbia and Argentina, when he had to retire against Juan Martin del Potro due to a back injury.
And there’s another streak going, too.
With his straight-set victory over Norrie, Djokovic has now won his last 24 sets in a row in Davis Cup singles. The last set he lost came to Daniil Medvedev on February 3rd, 2017—or 2,484 days ago—when he dropped the first set but then built a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 lead before Medvedev had to retire from the match due to cramping.
With Miomir Kecmanovic winning the first singles rubber of the tie against Jack Draper in two tie-breaks, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6), Djokovic's victory clinched Serbia's quarterfinal victory over Great Britain.
The doubles rubber, which was to pit Djokovic and Dusan Lajovic against Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, wasn't played.
Serbia, the 2010 Davis Cup champions, have now reached the semifinals of the Davis Cup Finals twice in the last three years, also reaching the final four in 2021 before falling to Croatia.
This year they'll face Italy in the semifinals on Saturday, which could include a blockbuster match-up between Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.