The Seasons That Could Have Been: Novak Djokovic's 2020 and nine more
Even if the season is salvaged in some form, the history books will never know Nole's 2020 ceiling. That got us thinking: What great Open Era seasons had the chance to be even greater, had circumstances been different?
It took a pandemic to stop Novak Djokovic this year. Before COVID-19 paused the sport, the Serbian won all 18 of his matches, led his country to the inaugural ATP Cup and collected a record-extending eighth Australian Open title. Ten of his victories were against Top 20 players, including Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev.
Even if the season is salvaged in some form, the history books will never know Djokovic’s 2020 ceiling. That got us thinking: What great Open Era seasons had the chance to be even greater, had circumstances been different?
The California native won 11 titles, including the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. But King—along with many other top players—skipped January’s Australian Open in favor of prioritizing the nascent Virginia Slims Circuit. Given the Happy Slam’s since-heightened significance, it’s natural to contemplate, “what if she played at Kooyong?” Yet a deeper question arises: “what if Billie Jean put herself first, instead?” With King playing for the greater good, the WTA was born a year later, and the rest is history.
Having yet to reach a major singles semifinal, Connors exploded to claim 15 titles, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open, and compiled an astonishing 99–4 record. It’s one of the greatest seasons in history—and just might have tipped the scale, had Connors not been barred from playing Roland Garros after signing a contract with World Team Tennis. An 18-year-old Bjorn Borg went on to lift his first Grand Slam trophy in Paris.
At the Australian Open, the 19-year-old Seles defeated Stefanie Graf to capture her eighth Grand Slam title; the win was her 55th in her last 56 matches at the majors. The world No. 1 began the 1993 season 17–1, but on April 30 in Hamburg, she was the victim on one of the darkest days the game has seen. Leading her quarterfinal with Magdalena Maleeva, Seles was stabbed with a boning knife by an obsessed Graf fan who wanted the German back on top.
A 37–0 start saw the 16-year-old Swiss win her first singles Slam title in Australia and become the youngest No. 1 in history. But in April, a horse-riding accident required surgery on her left knee to repair a torn tendon, preventing her from playing any red-clay tournaments before arriving in Paris. She ultimately suffered her first loss of the year in the Roland Garros final, to Iva Majoli, before adding major triumphs at Wimbledon and the US Open.
The American missed both hard-court Slams due to a pair of injuries. He still put together a 24-match win streak in the middle of the season, earning his sixth Wimbledon in the process, but Pistol Pete’s time spent healing dashed his bid to finish as the year-end No. 1 for the seventh straight year. “I’m obviously very overwhelmed; the way that I’d been playing the last two months, I liked my chances here,’’ Sampras said as he withdrew from the US Open.
With her ‘Serena Slam’ completed in Melbourne, the American continued to dominate by beginning the season 21–0. Though she endured two defeats to Justine Henin—the second not without controversy in Paris—revenge against her rival was served in the Wimbledon semifinals. After denying older sister Venus to taste victory at the All England Club, Serena’s sizzling season came to a crushing end shortly after, when her left knee gave out.
The Belgian was notably absent during the Australian summer swing, needing time to finalize her divorce from Pierre-Yves Hardenne. Back with a solo last name, Henin competed like an emancipated soul. She took home 10 titles in a season for the first time, including her third successive French Open and second US Open, and she ended the year with a 3:24 victory over Maria Sharapova to defend her title at the WTA Championships.
What would the 2009 season have looked like had Clijsters come back sooner? Returning from a 27-month hiatus after retiring for the first time, the fan favorite showed a remarkable level by posting four Top 20 wins to come into Flushing Meadows as a dangerous wild-card entrant. The glass slipper fit for this Cinderella story, as Clijsters went on to become the first mother in 29 years to win a Grand Slam singles title.
In one of the sport’s most extraordinary comeback campaigns, Nadal went 75–7 to win 10 titles in 14 finals, highlighted by two major trophies and a return to the top of the rankings. But the left-hander didn’t return to competition until February, which tempts enthusiasts alike to wonder, what if Rafa’s left knee was ready to do battle at Melbourne Park a few weeks earlier? “This season is probably the most emotional one in my career,” said Nadal.
Stefanie Graf, 1996: Missed the Australian Open due to injury for the second straight year, but went on to retain the other three major titles.
Juan Martin del Potro, 2010: After winning the 2009 US Open, his right wrist—in the first of several future lengthy injury layoffs—kept him out for eight months the following season.
Victoria Azarenka, 2016: The former No. 1 opened the year 26–3, winning the Indian Wells-Miami double before stepping away to have her first child, Leo.
Bianca Andreescu, 2019: Despite a season mired by health setbacks, she still racked up 48 match wins (overall) and three tour-level titles, including the US Open.
