2014 Roland Garros Final: Nadal vs. Djokovic

[Kieran]

Well he was the more tired of the two today at the end. Just so happened the fresher guy was playing worse. He was fresh enough to hit a brilliant double fault which I knew was coming a mile off sadly. What a way to end it. Had it gone to a fifth I'm thinking Djokovic may have won it but we'll never know.

Actually, I agree with this, including the "we'll never know", because last year went to a fifth after Rafa served for it in the fourth. But Rafa looked knackered at the end today and it was a stupendous effort by him to hold at 4-4, then break from 30-0 down the next game.

Unfortunately, that's three finals Nole has df'd on match point against Rafa: Rome and Paris in 2012 are the other two. This happens when you press too much. But I also agree that Nole looked the fresher of the two at the end. He'd slowly recovered from his obvious physical difficulties and he did very well to get to 4-4 in the first place...

 

[calitennis127]

Haha, Nalbandian didn't compose a great opera that we can all cheer, however: Rafa has many of them, just like Wolfie...

Nalbandian actually did; you just have to research a little bit further to find them.

 

[calitennis127]

More like the guy who recognized Mozart's talent and praised it (i.e. Nalbandian), while not getting quite as excited about the guy whose fingers could play for four hours longer than everyone else's because he was just blessed with great stamina.

Well he was the more tired of the two today at the end. Just so happened the fresher guy was playing worse. He was fresh enough to hit a brilliant double fault which I knew was coming a mile off sadly. What a way to end it. Had it gone to a fifth I'm thinking Djokovic may have won it but we'll never know.

Nadal was not all that tired in the fourth set. He was cramping and experienced a little bit of back pain. But his quickness did not decline much at all.

Nadal's fourth set issues were not even comparable to Djokovic's huffing-and-puffing "it hurts just to try a first serve" physical breakdown throughout the 2nd set.

 

[calitennis127]

Matchup problem exists but it is secondary and has been for awhile. Rogers main problem is he isn't that good anymore and for the most part hasn't been for 4 years now.

Age doesn't explain the 2007 French Open final, the 2009 Australian Open final, or even the 2013 Cincinnati quarterfinal.

Well you can argue age isn't the only reason he is no longer great but it certainly has something to do with it. 09 AO like Wimby 08 were mental breakdowns IMO. French Open is a different story, was always going to be very very hard for Roger to beat Nadal there. Roger dropped the ball at Wimbledon and Oz

Federer should have won the 2011 Roland Garros final. That was his best match against Nadal at the French. He was on fire in the first set and was playing a complete all-around match. And he was coming off of a terrific victory over Djokovic.

That was one of the worst GS losses of his career.

 

[Front242]

Well he was the more tired of the two today at the end. Just so happened the fresher guy was playing worse. He was fresh enough to hit a brilliant double fault which I knew was coming a mile off sadly. What a way to end it. Had it gone to a fifth I'm thinking Djokovic may have won it but we'll never know.

Actually, I agree with this, including the "we'll never know", because last year went to a fifth after Rafa served for it in the fourth. But Rafa looked knackered at the end today and it was a stupendous effort by him to hold at 4-4, then break from 30-0 down the next game.

Unfortunately, that's three finals Nole has df'd on match point against Rafa: Rome and Paris in 2012 are the other two. This happens when you press too much. But I also agree that Nole looked the fresher of the two at the end. He'd slowly recovered from his obvious physical difficulties and he did very well to get to 4-4 in the first place...

Yeah it was a diabolical way to finish how he did after putting in the effort to get back to 4-4 :nono Been a while since I've seen Nadal bending over after every couple of points gasping for breath and yet Novak failed to capitalize on his opponent's obvious tiring. Blasting balls wide and hitting double faults isn't the answer obviously. He should also just lose the drop shot completely imo. He won 1 point I believe from a drop shot all match and the others just sat up way too high waiting to be whacked away. Halep did the same to Screamapova yesterday. Just belt the damn ball like a man or woman in the case of the other final.

 

[Front242]

Matchup problem exists but it is secondary and has been for awhile. Rogers main problem is he isn't that good anymore and for the most part hasn't been for 4 years now.

Age doesn't explain the 2007 French Open final, the 2009 Australian Open final, or even the 2013 Cincinnati quarterfinal.

Well you can argue age isn't the only reason he is no longer great but it certainly has something to do with it. 09 AO like Wimby 08 were mental breakdowns IMO. French Open is a different story, was always going to be very very hard for Roger to beat Nadal there. Roger dropped the ball at Wimbledon and Oz

Federer should have won the 2011 Roland Garros final. That was his best match against Nadal at the French. He was on fire in the first set and was playing a complete all-around match. And he was coming off of a terrific victory over Djokovic.

That was one of the worst GS losses of his career.

Certainly should have won the first set anyway and not played like a drunken clown on a stag night in set 4.

 

[calitennis127]

Matchup problem exists but it is secondary and has been for awhile. Rogers main problem is he isn't that good anymore and for the most part hasn't been for 4 years now.

Age doesn't explain the 2007 French Open final, the 2009 Australian Open final, or even the 2013 Cincinnati quarterfinal.

Well you can argue age isn't the only reason he is no longer great but it certainly has something to do with it. 09 AO like Wimby 08 were mental breakdowns IMO. French Open is a different story, was always going to be very very hard for Roger to beat Nadal there. Roger dropped the ball at Wimbledon and Oz

Federer should have won the 2011 Roland Garros final. That was his best match against Nadal at the French. He was on fire in the first set and was playing a complete all-around match. And he was coming off of a terrific victory over Djokovic.

That was one of the worst GS losses of his career.

Certainly should have won the first set anyway and not played like a drunken clown on a stag night in set 4.

Well, the fact that he won the 3rd set after losing such tight sets in the first and second showed that he really was coming to play that day. Had he won the first it would have been a totally different ball-game - possibly even a 5-setter.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

So, who is this "Unnamed player" again?

By the way, with all his injury troubles and everything, RG is one tournament where Nadal always gets it together. I think it was only once Nadal skipped RG due to injury, very early in his career.

 

[Kieran]

So, who is this "Unnamed player" again?

Gulbis.

 

[Front242]

Age doesn't explain the 2007 French Open final, the 2009 Australian Open final, or even the 2013 Cincinnati quarterfinal.

Well you can argue age isn't the only reason he is no longer great but it certainly has something to do with it. 09 AO like Wimby 08 were mental breakdowns IMO. French Open is a different story, was always going to be very very hard for Roger to beat Nadal there. Roger dropped the ball at Wimbledon and Oz

Federer should have won the 2011 Roland Garros final. That was his best match against Nadal at the French. He was on fire in the first set and was playing a complete all-around match. And he was coming off of a terrific victory over Djokovic.

That was one of the worst GS losses of his career.

Certainly should have won the first set anyway and not played like a drunken clown on a stag night in set 4.

Well, the fact that he won the 3rd set after losing such tight sets in the first and second showed that he really was coming to play that day. Had he won the first it would have been a totally different ball-game - possibly even a 5-setter.

Yup, I'll try not to depress myself thinking about it but Nadal may have run away with it after set 1 too, no saying the outcome would be the same for set 3 and dare say it wouldn't but I'd certainly like to have seen him give him the middle finger by taking the first set at least and work from there. The way he played in set 4 having won set 3 was beyond a joke.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

he missed FO 2004 with a stress fracture in his foot/ankle

 

[brokenshoelace]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

It sure did. Like his return game. Or the inside out forehand...wait, a pattern is emerging here...

 

[Kieran]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

Yeah, he went backwards in this part. Was broke early in the third by dropping a high backhand volley into the net, as if he didn't know what to do with it.

Random thought from me: Fred Stolle and Mark Woodforde were the commentators all week and I quite enjoyed them...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

Yeah, he went backwards in this part. Was broke early in the third by dropping a high backhand volley into the net, as if he didn't know what to do with it.

Random thought from me: Fred Stolle and Mark Woodforde were the commentators all week and I quite enjoyed them...

Lucky you...I had to endure JMac and Carillo for a week...:nono

 

[brokenshoelace]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

Yeah, he went backwards in this part. Was broke early in the third by dropping a high backhand volley into the net, as if he didn't know what to do with it.

Random thought from me: Fred Stolle and Mark Woodforde were the commentators all week and I quite enjoyed them...

On that note, I will give props to Mats Wilander. I've always found his commentary hit and miss in the sense that he's extremely knowledgeable and insightful, but tends to flip-flop and contradict himself a lot. Well, this fortnight, it was more a case of the former. He was really on point with his analysis (I think the FO allows him to shine because he's done so well there so he knows what he's talking about even more, when it comes to the clay, the conditions, etc...).

 

[herios]

Today after Rafa evened the match at one set a piece, I decided I will rather go for a brunch with friends and spare myself of unnecessary stress.
I am sooooo glad I did that!
I did not have to witness Novak pulling the Verdasco:nono

Like Nole said, life goes on. Mine too. Looking forward for the lawn!

 

[rafanoy1992]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

By the way, just like in Australia, Djokovic serve and volley on break point.

 

[Fiero425]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

By the way, just like in Australia, Djokovic serve and volley on break point.

I guess that's Becker's influence! It didn't work enough with that weak volley! uzzled:nono

 

[rafanoy1992]

By the way, Nadal is now 25-7 against the other members of the Big Four in Grand Slams. Yes, he is 13-0 against them in the French Open; however, he is still 12-7 against them in other Slams.