A few players have given either Federer or Nadal trouble over the years, but not until now has someone figured out how to consistently beat both. Federer has had the most difficulty with exceptional defenders like Andy Murray, while sluggers, like del Potro, have bothered Nadal. Djokovic has this rare combination of patience and urgency that can blunt Federer's brilliance and cause the persistent Nadal to shrug his shoulders. Djokovic said that his former tormentors also gave him inspiration.

"They made me improve," he said. "They made me a better player. And right now there's that mental switch that I have, I believe in the court much more than I did before."

Djokovic's journey to the top looks like a sprint—one moment, a distant third; the next, first by a mile—but it was really a crawl that started in 2009. He got more serious about fitness and hired Gebhard Phil-Gritsch, who used to train Thomas Muster. Djokovic tinkered with his serve and then wisely abandoned those changes last year, after his once-effective serve became a liability. Last year, he discovered a gluten allergy and modified his diet.