Novak Hits 100!

No. 1 of 100!: Massu On Djokovic's 2006 Amersfoort Win

Novak Djokovic took his first step on the road to 100 tour-level titles on a July day in Amersfoort in 2006.

The then-19-year-old Serbian downed Chilean Nicolas Massu at a clay-court event in the Dutch city to become a tour-level champion for the first time. A former No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings and six-time tour-level titlist himself, Massu told ATPTour.com about his first impressions of the young Djokovic.

“He came with a lot of power, with very good results at that age,” said Massu. “I saw him before practising and playing some matches, and I was supposed to play in the final against him or Guillermo Coria. Coria was an unbelievable player. He was very, very tough on clay, so I was expecting to play with Coria, who maybe was the favourite at that time.”

The 2004 Roland Garros finalist Coria was ultimately forced to retire from the semi-final, but not before Djokovic had racked up a 6-2, 1-0 lead. In the championship match, it didn’t take long for Massu to get his own sense of what Djokovic’s game was all about.

“I remember that it was a really close match,” recalled the Chilean of Djokovic’s 7-6(5). 6-4 win. “I had chances in the first set. I led 3/0 in the first-set tie-break and he was showing a lot of personality at that time. He was showing unbelievable talent, fighting spirit, also entertainment, because he was a very complete player. He had a lot of courage in important moments for that age.

“That year I was playing really good on clay. I was one of the guys who won more on clay that year and I played four finals. I won one, so I was playing well. The match was close, but what surprised me at that age was the courage he had at 19 years old to show resolve and to have solutions in the important moments — besides all the tennis parts, [although] they were amazing also.”

Still a newcomer to the professional game, Djokovic was still very much honing his craft that week in the Netherlands. Yet even then, Massu says he could see top-level potential in his championship-match opponent.

“For sure maybe I was the guy who had a better ranking and everything at that time,” said Massu. “But for me it was not a surprise what he's achieved until today, because I saw at that time that for sure he will be a very, very top player. With time, for sure you start to understand that the guy is something else, something different."

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Massu is now proud to look back on the time he shared a court with a sporting icon.

“It is a good memory,” he said. “For sure I wanted to win that match because it was a final, but this is a good memory to play with this type of player, like Novak or Rafa [Nadal] or Roger [Federer]. I had the chance to play with them a lot. So that's really important for me.”

ATP Tour Stars On Novak's 100 Titles

SEBASTIAN KORDA (held championship point against Djokovic in 2023 Adelaide final): "There are times when you think you have the momentum, but somehow he pulls it right back. How patient he stays, how hungry he is, how willing he is to just keep battling and keep trying to find ways to get over the finish line. I remember the championship point I had. Looking back at it now, probably I was living out my dream as a kid, playing against Novak Djokovic in a final. It was pretty cool, I wish I got it done, but all the respect to him for finding a way to get that one."

DANIIL MEDVEDEV (1-3 in tour-level finals vs. Djokovic): "I think it’s huge, especially considering how many Grand Slams and Masters 1000s he has. But everything about Novak’s numbers is huge, so nothing new... It rarely happens with Novak that he starts a match, and his level starts dropping, even when he is tired. No matter how you start the match, his level is only going to go up. So you have to do the same. If he’s in front, you have to do big work. If you are in front, you still have to do big work. That’s the biggest challenge, because you know he is going to bring intensity and this level to the whole match."

GRIGOR DIMITROV (lost to Djokovic in 2023 Paris final): "100 titles? I’m still in single digits, so I don’t know what to say to that. He’s been truly spectacular. If you think about the way he presents not only himself, but also the sport, he’s been able to add so much new innovation to the sport and shown a different side to the sport as well. The way he’s been taking care of himself, how he’s been able to improve and also upkeep his game with the younger generation. I think it’s pretty spectacular."

GAEL MONFILS (0-2 in tour-level finals vs. Djokovic): "I remember that I lost the final to him in Paris [in 2009]. That was tough because we were in the tie-break in the third set. He won it. He was a beast; he is a beast. He's a legend too. It's just in those key moments to see him kind of lock-in and find a level that is so high. His record is just special. He was locked in and it is so hard because he makes ball after ball. He is so tough in those moments."