Novak Djokovic won the U.S. Open on Monday and became just the fifth player in the modern era (since 1968) to capture three Grand Slam titles in the same year. (We aren't counting Rod Laver who took home all four Grand Slams in 1969.)
Check out this list of five, and it is notable for those missing. Consider these five who aren't on it: Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl.
Jimmy Connors
1974. Connors won the Australian, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and didn't a chance to play in the French. Connors' participation in World Team Tennis at the time prompted the French to bar him from the event.
Mats Wilander
1988 The Swedish Hall of Famer is the only one in this group whose three-title combo is Australian, French and U.S. Wilander overcome his opponent's home-court advantage in two of the finals, beating Pat Cash in the Australian and Henri Leconte in the French.
Roger Federer
2004, 2006, 2007. Federer sets himself apart from the rest of the class by pulling off this trick -- Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. -- three times. In 2006 and 2007, Federer reached the French finals before losing to Rafael Nadal.
Rafael Nadal
2010. Nadal won the French, Wimbledon and U.S., beating three different opponents, none of whom was Federer, in the respective finals. His championship victories came against Robin Söderling (French), Tomas Berdych (Wimbledon) and Djokovic (U.S.). Beating Djokovic also gave Nadel a career Grand Slam.
Novak Djokovic
2011.His lone Grand Slam loss of the year came in four sets at the French against Federer. He won championship matches against Andy Murray (Australian) and Nadal (Wimbledon and U.S.). Djokovic needed a medical timeout in the fourth set against Nadal at the U.S. Open before prevailing 6–2, 6–4, 6–7, 6–1.
