100 Weeks at #1 for Nole

[Front242]

A collapse was Federer against Nadal at the AO in 2009.

On the podium afterwards? Most certainly!

In the 5th set too, ya dolt I've seen Nadal cry too against Djokovic

Yeah, couple of weeks ago...

The ones I'm talking about weren't tears of joy It happens to them all. Better to show your emotions if you ask me. I felt bad for Murray with his speech against Fed at Wimbledon last year but he did well considering the whole nation were watching. But Fed knew well how he felt. Shows how much big titles mean when these guys show both tears of joy and sadness.

 

[Kieran]

Don't remember him crying after a match with Djoker. I know he sobbed in the dressing room after he lost the 2007 W final against Roger. I prefer that reaction - and Roger's - to grinning mugshots at the net from the lucky losers...

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal never cried on court after a loss. At least I don't remember him ever doing so. I THINK he might have done it after losing to Fed at Wimbledon in 2007, but certainly has never cried after a loss to Djokovic.

 

[Moxie]

Nadal never cried on court after a loss. At least I don't remember him ever doing so. I THINK he might have done it after losing to Fed at Wimbledon in 2007, but certainly has never cried after a loss to Djokovic.

I just re-watched it. He didn't cry on court. He was gracious. Not that it matters.

 

[Moxie]

Choked is meaningless the way you used it since he literally didn't choke. Using the word heroic to describe the loser of a match is as weird as it gets too. I could think of a thousand words to use before saying that. See how it is easy to get hung up on nearly every word? Anyways we are talking in circles...well not literally circles as that would be impossible

Actually I'm literally going around the room in circles so it's fine.

Choked and heroic are apt metaphors - we know what's being said. Collapsed isn't apt for a set that went to 9-7. It suggests something abrupt and violent, not something that lingered for another 9 games.

The only reason why I'm persisting with it, by the way, is that there's a double insult in calling it a collapse - one to each player. It's unnecessarily negative about Novak's effort after that game, and it makes Rafa look tardy in putting his man to the floor, given how he'd collapsed so suddenly a long time before the end...

I'm risking a bit getting into the argument over terms. But I have to agree with Kieran, as to the bolded above: it's insulting to both to say that the loss was about a total collapse. Djokovic was valiant to get to a 5th set. (One could call Nadal's inability to serve it out a "collapse," too, if you don't want to give Novak the credit for playing brave tennis at the end of that set.)

I do think that Djokovic fell apart in the last game. Was he out of gas? Out of ideas? Or, at that point, was Nadal at RG too much for him? He wouldn't be the only player where that was true.

One question on this thread has been is what is Djokovic's problem, currently, in the big matches? Big Nole fans like nehmeth attributed his poor showing at Wimbledon not to a physical flag, but to mental fatigue. Even his team seems to be working on that. He has not been as "present" in the big moments as he was in 2011.

He'll have the DC in front of him this year, in which Serbia is favored. This could glide him smoothly into the AO. That may be where he rights the ship. In any case, I'm sure he'll be lethal in 2014.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If Djoker wins AO again, he would be the one with most AO cups surpassing both
Agassi and Federer. Somebody should stop him. My boss would not let me go
to Australia in January as I don't have enough vacation days accrued.

 

[Moxie]

If Djoker wins AO again, he would be the one with most AO cups surpassing both
Agassi and Federer. Somebody should stop him. My boss would not let me go
to Australia in January as I don't have enough vacation days accrued.

So that ALONE should motivate him. Sorry you can't get there to stop him, GSM. Hopefully, Rafa, Murray or Fed can.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

I bet Djokovic wanted Roland Garros 2013 more than he wants a 5th AO title. Especially considering his deceased childhood coach specifically asked him to bring her the Roland Garros trophy (not from the grave but before she passed). So being "motivated" isn't always enough.

Talent is a greater factor, especially at Roland Garros, where there are no free points. Whereas the AO while not lightning fast is fast enough to help the server (as is Wimbledon and the US Open), and is more physically damaging than clay, hence the AO is more likely to be won by a guy who uses an egg or whatever the latest recovery technology is.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I think Djokovic has to have goals, but kind of take it a step at a time. I think voicing it and really making it his priority to win the French has been a monkey on his back. Though, he is the only one to really take it to Nadal on clay. The one thing I have noticed is his lack of consistent aggression. The US Open final was a key example of this. Nadal showed him a look at second serves quite a lot, and he failed to land a nasty returns and make Nadal pay for it. He really wasn't dictating play at all except for that second set and half of the third set. He has to shorten the points and not allow Nadal any rhythm.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

Biggest problem for Djokovic at the 2013 US Open final was Nadal's crafty obsession with the slice backhand. When Djokovic hit the booming groundy to Nadal's backhand wing, Nadal sent it back with slice, thus breaking up Djokovic's aggression (just as Federer has done to Djokovic in the past). This didn't always work for Nadal (because it allowed Djokovic to dictate) but generally Nadal's backhand slice was the US Open winning tactic (and it also was a surprise tactic, as Nadal used less backhand slice at Montreal). In the past Nadal tended to either hit a 2-handed backhand or run around and make it into a forehand.

 

[Kieran]

I think Djokovic has to have goals, but kind of take it a step at a time. I think voicing it and really making it his priority to win the French has been a monkey on his back. Though, he is the only one to really take it to Nadal on clay. The one thing I have noticed is his lack of consistent aggression. The US Open final was a key example of this. Nadal showed him a look at second serves quite a lot, and he failed to land a nasty returns and make Nadal pay for it. He really wasn't dictating play at all except for that second set and half of the third set. He has to shorten the points and not allow Nadal any rhythm.

Good post, Sundaymorningguy.

I think Novak stating his aim with regards the FO was a couple of things at once. Firstly, he was stating the obvious and there was no point in denying it. He's not the first great player to declare his chief goal is to finally bag the French. But also, he first mentioned this during his great time in 2011, early 2012, and it might have been intended to shoot an arrow across Ralph's horse to startle him.

A positive intent like this can have many results, and it could either strengthen Novak's resolve, or intimidate him, even though he's the guy who said it. I actually think he's done well in Paris the last two seasons, but the boat may have sailed. Nadal will most likely be stronger next year than this...

 

[Riotbeard]

I think Djokovic has to have goals, but kind of take it a step at a time. I think voicing it and really making it his priority to win the French has been a monkey on his back. Though, he is the only one to really take it to Nadal on clay. The one thing I have noticed is his lack of consistent aggression. The US Open final was a key example of this. Nadal showed him a look at second serves quite a lot, and he failed to land a nasty returns and make Nadal pay for it. He really wasn't dictating play at all except for that second set and half of the third set. He has to shorten the points and not allow Nadal any rhythm.

Good post, Sundaymorningguy.

I think Novak stating his aim with regards the FO was a couple of things at once. Firstly, he was stating the obvious and there was no point in denying it. He's not the first great player to declare his chief goal is to finally bag the French. But also, he first mentioned this during his great time in 2011, early 2012, and it might have been intended to shoot an arrow across Ralph's horse to startle him.

A positive intent like this can have many results, and it could either strengthen Novak's resolve, or intimidate him, even though he's the guy who said it. I actually think he's done well in Paris the last two seasons, but the boat may have sailed. Nadal will most likely be stronger next year than this...

A bit optomistic, as nadal has been playing some of his best tennis of his career. I think it depends more on Novak (not whether he wins, which either can win on any surface at their best), who has had trouble with consistency over five sets this year. If he can get his head back together by the F.O. he has a solid chance, if he can't, it is not going to 5 sets. I think he wins the AO again, against anybody. That's his home. These past two years have not been great, but he at least got the AO, and that surface is borderline perfect for his game.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

A bit optomistic, as nadal has been playing some of his best tennis of his career. I think it depends more on Novak (not whether he wins, which either can win on any surface at their best), who has had trouble with consistency over five sets this year. If he can get his head back together by the F.O. he has a solid chance, if he can't, it is not going to 5 sets. I think he wins the AO again, against anybody. That's his home. These past two years have not been great, but he at least got the AO, and that surface is borderline perfect for his game.

You sure that Djokovic will beat Nadal at the AO? They went 6 hours in the 2012 AO final, and that was back when Djokovic had won 6 finals in a row over Nadal. The mental edge was greater than ever for Djokovic. Now Nadal has won 6 of their last 7 meetings, including their last 2 hardcourt meetings.

 

[Kieran]

A bit optomistic, as nadal has been playing some of his best tennis of his career. I think it depends more on Novak (not whether he wins, which either can win on any surface at their best), who has had trouble with consistency over five sets this year. If he can get his head back together by the F.O. he has a solid chance, if he can't, it is not going to 5 sets. I think he wins the AO again, against anybody. That's his home. These past two years have not been great, but he at least got the AO, and that surface is borderline perfect for his game.

You sure that Djokovic will beat Nadal at the AO? They went 6 hours in the 2012 AO final, and that was back when Djokovic had won 6 finals in a row over Nadal. The mental edge was greater than ever for Djokovic. Now Nadal has won 6 of their last 7 meetings, including their last 2 hardcourt meetings.

It's reasonable of Riotbeard to expect this. Novak in Oz is exceptional, and he'd be on his home slam turf, so to speak. Also, between now and then, the H2H may switch again, as it so often has in the past...

 

[NADAL2005RG]

Except the trend in h2h is stretching more in Nadal's favor now than ever before, on hardcourts anyway. Nadal has won 2 of their last 3 hardcourt matches. The match Nadal lost, took 6 hours. No sign of momentum switching back to Djokovic at all. Whereas we noticed the h2h switching back to Nadal before the 2012 clay season, because he got so close at the AO.

People thought Djokovic was close to switching the h2h back this year at Roland Garros, only to witness Nadal beat Djokovic twice on hardcourts including a breadstick at the US Open. Nadal has won 22 in a row on hardcourts, peak career hardcourt form. While Djokovic hasn't won a hardcourt title for a long, long, long time. Nadal and Djokovic are going in opposite directions. Does Djokovic have the mental toughness to turn it around, again? We'll see. Nadal is known for almost a decade of mental toughness. Djokovic is known for 8 months of mental toughness. But anything is possible in sport.

 

[Iona16]

On another note congrats to Novak and his future wife on their engagement. I wish them all the best.

 

[Front242]

On another note congrats to Novak and his future wife on their engagement. I wish them all the best.

Pretty sure it's not too far off for Andy and Kim either. Maybe that extra seratonin boost will drive Novak to a better 2014.

 

[DarthFed]

On another note congrats to Novak and his future wife on their engagement. I wish them all the best.

Pretty sure it's not too far off for Andy and Kim either. Maybe that extra seratonin boost will drive Novak to a better 2014.

Amongst all the other problems women can cause they tend to ruin sports performance more than help. Maybe falling deeper in love has been part of Nole's problem this year. You have to compete like your life depends on it or you'll be at a serious disadvantage when the guy across the net does.

 

[Front242]

On another note congrats to Novak and his future wife on their engagement. I wish them all the best.

Pretty sure it's not too far off for Andy and Kim either. Maybe that extra seratonin boost will drive Novak to a better 2014.

Amongst all the other problems women can cause they tend to ruin sports performance more than help. Maybe falling deeper in love has been part of Nole's problem this year. You have to compete like your life depends on it or you'll be at a serious disadvantage when the guy across the net does.

Sssshhhh. That's true too but don't want to upset the ladies here

 

[GameSetAndMath]

On another note congrats to Novak and his future wife on their engagement. I wish them all the best.

Pretty sure it's not too far off for Andy and Kim either. Maybe that extra seratonin boost will drive Novak to a better 2014.

Amongst all the other problems women can cause they tend to ruin sports performance more than help. Maybe falling deeper in love has been part of Nole's problem this year. You have to compete like your life depends on it or you'll be at a serious disadvantage when the guy across the net does.

I don't know about love, but sex tends to increase performance in sports. Actually,
this is true for both men and women. There is a show called "Sports Science" on ESPN.
In one of the episodes, they demonstrated it. If you search around in the internet,
you should be able to find some highlights from it.