Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer? Player with most hard-court titles
What's the story
Serbian ace Novak Djokovic claimed his 101st men's singles career tour-level title after winning the Hellenic Championship in Athens. The top seed beat Lorenzo Musetti in three sets - 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The win marked Djokovic's 72nd hard-court title, now the most on this surface. He broke a tie with legend Roger Federer. Here are the key numbers.
Djokovic
Djokovic adds another hard-court trophy
As mentioned, Djokovic claimed his 72nd career title on hard courts. His tally includes 10 Australian Open honors, the most at this Grand Slam by a distance. He also has four US Open titles. Moreover, the Serb has a record 50 Big Titles on hard courts, a category that comprises Grand Slams, ATP Finals, ATP Masters 1000, and Olympic singles.
Federer
Federer trails with 71 titles
As mentioned, Djokovic has surpassed his former rival Federer, who retired with 71 hard-court titles. The Swiss ace bowed out with six Australian Open and five US Open titles. No other man owns even 50 titles in this regard. Legends Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors follow Federer on this list with 46 and 43 titles, respectively.
Numbers
A look at other notable numbers
Djokovic's win percentage (84.37) on hard courts (734-136) is the highest in men's singles. However, Federer tops the list of hard-court matches won (783). The Swiss holds the record for winning 56 successive hard-court matches. Djokovic has appeared in the most hard-court finals at Grand Slams (20). He also has the most finals appearances at both hard-court Majors.
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Djokovic vs Federer on hard courts
The Djokovic-Federer is among the most cherished in tennis history. Overall, the Serb has a 27-23 lead over Federer. Their rivalry on hard courts was neck-to-neck, with Djokovic leading 20-18. While Djokovic led 4-1 at the Australian Open, the US Open head-to-head record reads 3-3.