Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are most certainly two of the greatest tennis players of the 21st century.
The duo, born a week apart, first played each other when they were both 11 years old.
Their rivalry blossomed from then on and the pair contested 36 matches on the ATP Tour.
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Of those matches, three were contested at the Madrid Open – the first in 2006 when the pair were both teenagers.
Who won their first battle in the Spanish capital?
Novak Djokovic’s triumph over Andy Murray in Madrid
At the 2006 Madrid Open, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray met in the third round. The occasion marked their first-ever meeting on the ATP Tour.
Djokovic, seeded 15th, had defeated Richard Gasquet to reach the third round.
Murray, meanwhile, beat qualifier Ivan Navarro and third seed Ivan Ljubicic on his way to the same stage.
Djokovic emerged victorious from their third-round contest, defeating his British rival 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.
In truth, Murray let victory slip from his grasp.
The British star led 6-1, 4-3 [up a break], needing only two more productive service games to reach the quarter-finals.
However, Murray’s first serve abandoned him at the crucial moment and Djokovic capitalised.
“Physically I feel all right but I think I have been struggling mentally,” Murray said afterwards, as per The Guardian.
“It’s not an excuse but it’s my first full season on the tour and I have played 26 tournaments.”
Djokovic went on to lose in the quarter-finals to Fernando Gonzalez, 5-7, 7-5, 5-7.
Roger Federer won the title, beating Gonzalez in the final.
Joao Fonseca and Rafael Jodar join Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in the history books
On Sunday evening, Joao Fonseca and Rafael Jodar contested their first match on the ATP Tour.
Jodar emerged victorious, defeating the Brazilian 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 in the Madrid Open third round.
As per statisticians OptaAce, Fonseca and Jodar’s contest was only the third main draw match between two teenagers at the Madrid Open.
Murray and Djokovic’s 2006 Madrid Open contest was the first, and Joao Fonseca’s clash with Alex Michelsen in 2024 was the second instance.
On that occasion, Fonseca emerged victorious, beating Michelsen 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the first round.
