Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer meet for the 48th time and fourth at Wimbledon on Sunday in the 2019 final.
The 37-year-old Swiss can clinch a record-extending 21st major if he manages to break free of the world number one’s stranglehold.
Four-time Wimbledon winner and defending champion Djokovic enjoys a 25-22 edge in career meetings, stretching back 13 years.
The Serb has won 14 of their last 20 meetings and eight of the last 10.
Federer has lost all four of their most recent meetings at the Slams and it’s now seven years since he triumphed over the 32-year-old at the majors.
That was 2012 in four sets in a Wimbledon semi-final.
We looks at the pair’s three previous meetings at the All England Club.
2012
Semi-final: Federer 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Federer became the first man to reach eight Wimbledon finals by knocking out defending champion Djokovic under the Centre Court roof.
Federer needed just two hours and 19 minutes to come through and set-up a final against Andy Murray which he also went on to win, capturing his seventh title at the tournament.
“Obviously, I’m ecstatic, I’m so happy,” said Federer.
Djokovic added: “It’s not the first, it’s not the last time I lost a match. I lost to a great champion, somebody that has the most Grand Slams in the history of the sport.”
2014
Final: Djokovic 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-4
After losing three successive Slam finals, Djokovic claimed his second Wimbledon title.
Djokovic, who was also the 2011 champion, wasted a match point in the fourth set as sentimental favourite Federer came back from 2-5 down.
It was a seventh Slam title for the Serb, secured after almost four hours on court.
“After losing the fourth set it wasn’t easy to go on and win the fifth set, I don’t know how I did it,” said Djokovic, who also reclaimed the world number one ranking.
2015
Final: Djokovic 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (10/12), 6-4, 6-3
Djokovic claimed his third Wimbledon title, taking his Slam total to nine.
Victory also took him to 48 match wins in the year against just three losses.
However, one of those had been a shattering defeat in the Roland Garros final to Stan Wawrinka just a few weeks earlier.
“I have to say it’s a big challenge playing against Roger,” said Djokovic.
“A lot of players of my generation have looked up to him and followed his lead.”
(with AFP inputs)
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