2014 Wimbledon Semi: Djokovic v Dimitrov

[DarthFed]

Nole can't get away with playing poorly vs. Dimitrov. The average/mediocre performance might be enough to win a close one, but a match like he played vs. Gulbis the last 2 sets at RG semi will see him lose.

As Cali mentioned Nole does have more firepower to battle Dimitrov, specifically on the forehand wing. I don't think Djokovic will play as bad as Murray did. I don't think any result would surprise me except maybe Dimitrov in straights.

 

[tented]

I don't think any result would surprise me except maybe Dimitrov in straights.

That's true, but I think Djokovic wins in four, dropping the second set. Maybe the first. If he starts dictating with his BH, I don't see how Dimitrov could overcome that.

 

[shawnbm]

Grigor feels he belongs at the big boy table now, and Novak realizes this as well. This is a legitimate challenge for the Serbian Slayer and I've not been as impressed with him this fortnight as Dimitrov. Grigor outclassed Murray and did it routinely--and Murray has shown he can beat Nole. Grigor over five tough sets.

 

[Backhand_DTL]

Grigor straight setted Andy, and I always thought Andy is the better grass player than Nole...but still, I cannot make Grigor the favorite in my head.

Nole in 5?

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

 

[imjimmy]

I really don't think that Dimitrov "yet" has the poise and mental fortitude under pressure. He still folds while closing out sets, consolidating breaks and other big moments. His game starts to fall apart, and nor does he have huge weaponry to rely on cheap points while feeling nervous.

Murray let him off the hook, by playing an insipid match. Novak will make Dimitrov pay. Dearly.

This is where Djokovic makes a statement.
Novak in 3, with 1 close set.

 

[DarthFed]

^ Weaponry is what Dimitrov has in abundance and that's the reason he has a legit chance. Huge serve, big all around game. Nole will have to show up to this semi, he got away with poor performances in the semis at RG this year, USO last year (I'd argue even Wimbledon last year vs. DP to a degree) and then took the really bad play into the final. It might prove big for him to really have a great match and carry that into Sunday's final.

 

[DarthFed]

Grigor straight setted Andy, and I always thought Andy is the better grass player than Nole...but still, I cannot make Grigor the favorite in my head.

Nole in 5?

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

It is an important distinction. Andy has the advantage on grass in a matchup vs. Djokovic but that doesn't mean everyone wants to play Djokovic instead of Murray. Murray's problem usually is that he is naturally not aggressive enough. He has to come out of his comfort zone to really play attacking tennis and when the big servers and hitters are having a good day he has trouble. Nole has more to counteract the big hitters as he is plenty comfortable going toe to toe from the baseline.

 

[Kieran]

Well, no need to go back so far: I thought that Nole should have had Cough Drop back in the packet after maybe three, definitely four sets, yesterday. I still don't know how the Croatian won the third set, and I'm sure Nole doesn't, either, but he'll have to play a much tighter and more consistent game tomorrow, and Sunday (if he makes it)...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Grigor straight setted Andy, and I always thought Andy is the better grass player than Nole...but still, I cannot make Grigor the favorite in my head.

Nole in 5?

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

It is an important distinction. Andy has the advantage on grass in a matchup vs. Djokovic but that doesn't mean everyone wants to play Djokovic vs. Murray. Murray's problem usually is that he is naturally not aggressive enough. He has to come out of his comfort zone to really play attacking tennis and when the big servers and hitters are having a good day he has trouble. Nole has more to counteract the big hitters as he is plenty comfortable going toe to toe from the baseline.

In my personal opinion, if I was given the choice of facing top Murray or top Novak at Wimbledon, I would always pick Novak. I realize some might disagree with that.

 

[DarthFed]

Grigor straight setted Andy, and I always thought Andy is the better grass player than Nole...but still, I cannot make Grigor the favorite in my head.

Nole in 5?

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

It is an important distinction. Andy has the advantage on grass in a matchup vs. Djokovic but that doesn't mean everyone wants to play Djokovic vs. Murray. Murray's problem usually is that he is naturally not aggressive enough. He has to come out of his comfort zone to really play attacking tennis and when the big servers and hitters are having a good day he has trouble. Nole has more to counteract the big hitters as he is plenty comfortable going toe to toe from the baseline.

In my personal opinion, if I was given the choice of facing top Murray or top Novak at Wimbledon, I would always pick Novak. I realize some might disagree with that.

I definitely agree with that but who is more likely to have a really off day, Murray or Novak? Part of the equation is the fact that Novak is the better overall player, you expect him to be more consistent regardless of surface.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Grigor straight setted Andy, and I always thought Andy is the better grass player than Nole...but still, I cannot make Grigor the favorite in my head.

Nole in 5?

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

It is an important distinction. Andy has the advantage on grass in a matchup vs. Djokovic but that doesn't mean everyone wants to play Djokovic vs. Murray. Murray's problem usually is that he is naturally not aggressive enough. He has to come out of his comfort zone to really play attacking tennis and when the big servers and hitters are having a good day he has trouble. Nole has more to counteract the big hitters as he is plenty comfortable going toe to toe from the baseline.

In my personal opinion, if I was given the choice of facing top Murray or top Novak at Wimbledon, I would always pick Novak. I realize some might disagree with that.

I definitely agree with that but who is more likely to have a really off day, Murray or Novak? Part of the equation is the fact that Novak is the better overall player, you expect him to be more consistent regardless of surface.

Brother, if I knew, I would pick the one who is going to have an off day, of course...

 

[Kieran]

Then it could be either of them...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Then it could be either of them...

..and that's why, I have to assume they will both be on their game (Nole's late slam funks of last couple of years notwithstanding ) , I would rather face Nole on grass (and nowhere else , mind you).

 

[DarthFed]

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

It is an important distinction. Andy has the advantage on grass in a matchup vs. Djokovic but that doesn't mean everyone wants to play Djokovic vs. Murray. Murray's problem usually is that he is naturally not aggressive enough. He has to come out of his comfort zone to really play attacking tennis and when the big servers and hitters are having a good day he has trouble. Nole has more to counteract the big hitters as he is plenty comfortable going toe to toe from the baseline.

In my personal opinion, if I was given the choice of facing top Murray or top Novak at Wimbledon, I would always pick Novak. I realize some might disagree with that.

I definitely agree with that but who is more likely to have a really off day, Murray or Novak? Part of the equation is the fact that Novak is the better overall player, you expect him to be more consistent regardless of surface.

Brother, if I knew, I would pick the one who is going to have an off day, of course...

I was hinting that we have a good idea who is more likely to have an off day. Since Wimbledon 2011 each has won 1 and made a final, Nole has lost to Roger and Murray and Andy just got ushered off Centre Court in a nanosecond by Dimitrov...

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I want new finalists!
Bulgarian in 4

 

[Moxie]

^ See, Darth…what did I tell you?

 

[Front242]

^ Kiu is no Nadal fan hence no problem with Roger in a final and potentially bagging another slam

 

[Backhand_DTL]

Grigor straight setted Andy, and I always thought Andy is the better grass player than Nole...but still, I cannot make Grigor the favorite in my head.

Nole in 5?

Andy is definitely more natural on grass, but I'm not sure if he is better in absolute terms. The match-up favors him when they play each other on grass, but other than Federer and maybe Del Potro I doubt there are a lot of Top 30 players who really prefer Novak to Andy as an opponent at Wimbledon.

As for the match, in my opinion it comes down to how Novak handles Grigor's serve and slice. If he does it well I see Novak winning rather routinely, if not I would expect a tough four or five set match that can go either way.

It is an important distinction. Andy has the advantage on grass in a matchup vs. Djokovic but that doesn't mean everyone wants to play Djokovic vs. Murray. Murray's problem usually is that he is naturally not aggressive enough. He has to come out of his comfort zone to really play attacking tennis and when the big servers and hitters are having a good day he has trouble. Nole has more to counteract the big hitters as he is plenty comfortable going toe to toe from the baseline.

In my personal opinion, if I was given the choice of facing top Murray or top Novak at Wimbledon, I would always pick Novak. I realize some might disagree with that.

If you would have to choose between both at their best on grass, the choice wouldn't matter for most players as they would lose clearly anyway. But I think based on the quarter final matches this year or Novak's match against Del Potro last year, where his backhand DTL was totally off and everything else apart from the serve wasn't that good either, you can make a case, that you need to play at a higher level to beat a far from his best-Novak, than a far from his best-Andy.

From the perspective of a Federer fan I can totally understand that facing Novak feels as the more comfortable option to playing Andy on grass, but for example Nadal would in my opinion prefer meeting Andy to Novak in a possible Wimbledon final. Apart from their head-to-head on grass I don't think there are any hard facts that point to Andy as the better player on the surface. Their results at Wimbledon are actually quite equal, but Andy's more suitable game style for and better movement on grass, as well as grass being regarded as Andy's best, but Novak's worst surface probably play a big role in Murray being widely perceived as superior on grass.

 

[Moxie]

^ Kiu is no Nadal fan hence no problem with Roger in a final and potentially bagging another slam

True enough, but you missed the reference, which was to Kiu picking Raonic in the other Semi, which disappointed Darth. It looks like Kiu is in favor of a Dimitrov v. Raonic final.

 

[Front242]

^ Kiu is no Nadal fan hence no problem with Roger in a final and potentially bagging another slam

True enough, but you missed the reference, which was to Kiu picking Raonic in the other Semi, which disappointed Darth. It looks like Kiu is in favor of a Dimitrov v. Raonic final.

That'd be some crap final lol. Fair enough Nadal fans might like this scenario simply for the sake of the slam count but it'd be absolutely awful viewing. Btw, didn't miss it but Kiu picking Raonic to win because of his serve is a prediction and one many will agree on. Didn't see Kiu saying this was the most enjoyable potential final by any means though..