2016 Australian Open Semifinal: Federer vs. Djokovic
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nehmeth
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ftan said:
Nowhere have I read where any of the sportscasters comment that Roger's play was pathetic. Novak was just playing at another level - Tignor dared to call it "Master Class".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/novakdjokovic/12127282/Novak-Djokovic-approaches-flawlessness-in-Australian-Open-semi-final-pummelling-of-Roger-Federer.html
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/01/djoko-unchained/57448/#.VqqWGFMrKHo
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/01/racquet-reactions-djokovic-downs-federer-four-set-australian-open-semi/57438/#.VqqWLlMrKHo
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/sports/tennis/novak-djokovic-roger-federer-australian-open.html?_r=0
GameSetAndMath
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golds girl said:
Oh, Boy, I misunderstood the whole thing. I was trying to grow fangs instead of trying to become a billionaire. :snicker
GameSetAndMath
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The stats for this match shown in AO website is totally weird. It says both had 1 UFE, Novak had 10 winners and Fed 5 winners in the whole match. Was the statistician drunk or what?
golds girl
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LOL GSM...you've wasted time then, get on the billionaire or at least mediocre athlete train and you'll score the girl next door.GameSetAndMath said:
Yeah Front, I've realized there are a lot of 'models' these days, especially on Instagram. It's something you can claim without having to have a resume
GameSetAndMath
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Front242 said:
1. I am rooting for Murray in SF as I would root for almost anyone against Milos.
2. In case Andy wins, I will be rooting for him in F, so that Novak does not rack up his GS count very fast.
Going by the highlights, Tomic is bang on. Novak is just too good at the moment and playing like this he would be winning against anyone on that court.
It is obvious that Novak, just like Rafa, is uniquely fired up when playing Roger in big matches. The reflexes, the movement, the flexibility, the accuracy of those shots was just ..wow... he was often near flawless. But it seems to me, that even in W14, W15 and USO15 Novak wanted to win their match much much more deeply than Roger did. Losing doesn't sting post 2013 Roger anywhere near as much as it does Novak. Novak is not just better now but way more hungrier. At this level, more hunger and more confidence is all it takes. It's not as if Novak just went out there and decided that it's not a bad idea to go up 6-2, 6-1 and then decided to tank a set not to embarrass Roger. He knew he had to bring the goods and bring them fast from the start. Roger knew that too but he just cannot dig deep enough anymore to somehow attack the problem early enough with concerted effort. This certainly was not the case FO 2008. There he was plain destroyed. Rafa didn't break a sweat. Novak was joyful but I am sure also more than a bit relieved.
I guess what I am saying is that the extra bit of motivation is concentrating Novak's mind to bring his near best in these matches. A slightly slower cheetah could out run a faster cheetah once in a while. But if the faster cheetah is a lot more hungrier too every time, the slower cheetah doesn't stand much of a chance.
It is obvious that Novak, just like Rafa, is uniquely fired up when playing Roger in big matches. The reflexes, the movement, the flexibility, the accuracy of those shots was just ..wow... he was often near flawless. But it seems to me, that even in W14, W15 and USO15 Novak wanted to win their match much much more deeply than Roger did. Losing doesn't sting post 2013 Roger anywhere near as much as it does Novak. Novak is not just better now but way more hungrier. At this level, more hunger and more confidence is all it takes. It's not as if Novak just went out there and decided that it's not a bad idea to go up 6-2, 6-1 and then decided to tank a set not to embarrass Roger. He knew he had to bring the goods and bring them fast from the start. Roger knew that too but he just cannot dig deep enough anymore to somehow attack the problem early enough with concerted effort. This certainly was not the case FO 2008. There he was plain destroyed. Rafa didn't break a sweat. Novak was joyful but I am sure also more than a bit relieved.
I guess what I am saying is that the extra bit of motivation is concentrating Novak's mind to bring his near best in these matches. A slightly slower cheetah could out run a faster cheetah once in a while. But if the faster cheetah is a lot more hungrier too every time, the slower cheetah doesn't stand much of a chance.
Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer 1/2 Highlights á´´á´° 1080i Australian Open 2016
[video=dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3p5pw3_novak-djokovic-vs-roger-federer-1-2-highlights-%E1%B4%B4%E1%B4%B0-1080i-australian-open-2016_sport[/video]
[video=dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3p5pw3_novak-djokovic-vs-roger-federer-1-2-highlights-%E1%B4%B4%E1%B4%B0-1080i-australian-open-2016_sport[/video]
mrzz
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nehmeth said:
It is hard to comment on this, as, on one hand, I do not want to take anything away from Djokovic, but, on the other, what can you do if you honestly think that Federer played like crap? The first three games of the first set are beyond pathetic.
Yes, Djokovic came in playing very well and hard from the get go. It was scary indeed. But, hell, does this explains the bad serving? The errors on easy balls while he was not trying to go for too much? No, it doesn't.
It is only natural that sports writers would credit the win to something positive, rather than to something negative. It makes everyone looks better, and it is part of their job to make the show look better.
Does this means I think Federer would have won otherwise? Hardly, as everyone knows that Djokovic is miles ahead in keeping a high level of play in long stretches.
When both players were playing well (fourth set), Djokovic still won, but it was a completely different story from sets one and two.
nehmeth
Grand Slam Champion
My response would be, the dozens of articles and endless commentating on Novak's 100 ufe outing against Simon. I'm sure if Simon had won, they would not have left out Novak's gift to the match.
Last night I was listening to Annacone commentating on Tennis Channel. He was the one who actually said during the match, "Federer is trying to go for too much, hence the errors." (or something very similar to that). He also later stated that Fed needed to take a little pace off the ball, slow the game down, take more time in between points, anything to throw Novak off his rhythm.
So there was one guy out there addressing what you fans were seeing.
But again, credit to Novak whose game makes Fed feel like he has to go for more all the time.
Last night I was listening to Annacone commentating on Tennis Channel. He was the one who actually said during the match, "Federer is trying to go for too much, hence the errors." (or something very similar to that). He also later stated that Fed needed to take a little pace off the ball, slow the game down, take more time in between points, anything to throw Novak off his rhythm.
So there was one guy out there addressing what you fans were seeing.
But again, credit to Novak whose game makes Fed feel like he has to go for more all the time.
Did Roger really play that badly? I thought that was probably the best match Novak has had against Fed, and he even said the same thing himself. Not vintage Fed by any means, but in a head to head match up where there have been many matches where Roger honestly played like crap (Miami 09, Basel 09, RG 2012), I wouldn't pick this one out as among the worst, given Novak's level.
Edit: He said the first two sets were the best he ever played against Roger, not the match as a whole.
Edit: He said the first two sets were the best he ever played against Roger, not the match as a whole.
