• ESPN Sports Personality of the Year - No. 1

Novak Djokovic: On top of the world

Novak Djokovic is ESPN's Sports Personality of the Year © Getty Images

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• Profile: Novak Djokovic

The past 12 months of the sporting calendar have thrown up a plethora of memorable performances, including a near-invincible tennis star, a globally-loved golfing success story, and a footballing magician who seems only to need one foot. Leading up to Christmas, ESPN will name its top 10 sports personalities of the year in ascending order...

Even if Novak Djokovic had gone into hibernation after his US Open win, the Serb's season would still have gone down in ATP Tour history.

For so many years, Djokovic had to be content with being one of the 'big four' alongside Andy Murray, having had the misfortune of playing in the same era as two of the greatest players to ever grace a tennis court - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

But the Serb left his rivals trailing in his wake as he scooped ten titles, including three grand slams, overtaking Nadal as world No. 1 and winning 70 of 76 matches.

What is the secret to Djokovic's success? While improved fitness and a better service technique; his gluten-free diet, certainly played their part, Djokovic showed just how big a factor confidence can be. Heading into 2011 on a high after Serbia's historic Davis Cup victory in December 2010, Djokovic version 2.0 was faster, fitter, more aggressive but, crucially, went into every match expecting to win.

Ranked at No. 3 heading into the new year, Djokovic emerged as an unbeatable force in 2011, kicking off the season with victory at the Australian Open, beating Murray in the final to regain the title he won three years previously.

Djokovic was a worthy winner in Melbourne, but nobody saw what was coming next. He followed up his Australian Open victory with a title in Dubai, before beating Nadal in back-to-back finals to win the Indian Wells and Miami Masters events to take his unbeaten start to the season to 24 matches.

Djokovic was looking good, but surely he couldn't touch the King of Clay Nadal on the red dirt? But he did, making a seamless transition from the hard courts to the clay, picking up two more titles in Madrid and Rome.

His unbeaten start stretched to 37 for the season, and the longer the streak went on, the better Djokovic seemed to get. As the players headed to Paris for the second grand slam of the year, the question on everybody's lips was, 'Can anyone stop Djokovic?'

The astonishing 43-match unbeaten streak run finally came to an end at the hands of Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals.

Djokovic gained a lot of new fans in 2011 © PA Photos

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Federer may have briefly penetrated Djokovic's aura of invincibility, but he certainly did not shatter it as the Serb returned in London, achieving his lifetime ambitions in the space of a matter of days winning Wimbledon before being crowned world No. 1.

He may have fulfilled a lifelong dream in London, but there was still plenty of fire in Djokovic's belly, and he shook off a shoulder injury to win his third major of the year in New York. Djokovic saved two match points to outlast Federer in a thrilling semi-final, before seeing off Nadalfor the sixth time in 2011 to get his hands on a tenth trophy of the season.

Ultimately, his victory in New York would prove to be his last title of 2011 as the world No. 1 struggled with fatigue and injury. But regardless of a less-than-dominant finish to the season, it does not detract from a truly astonishing campaign.

To say Djokovic raised his game fails to do justice to his achievements. Federer and Nadal are widely regarded to be two of the greatest players to ever pick up a tennis racket, but they were left in the shade by Djokovic.

"This has been an almost perfect 12 months for me. I have always dreamed about becoming the best in the world," Djokovic said after being crowned ITF World Champion. "To have won three grand slam titles and finished the year as No. 1 is very special."

It needed something special to barge in on the Roger-Rafa show, and with talent, grit, and personality in equal measure, Djokovic has proved a worthy successor to the prestigious claim of being the best tennis player on the planet.

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