2019 Men’s Wimbledon Final: Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Since all of you are typing down predictions based on well thought out analyses anyway, I will simply say that Roger is gonna win as he's playing better tennis.

 

[DarthFed]

Well, Novak has been a better player since 2011: 20-9, vs. 5-13 before. I don't like to play the "age card," but it does matter; their almost six year gap does matter. Novak turned 24 in 2011, Roger 30. Meaning, prime Novak has only faced 30-something Roger - and most of their matches have been during Novak's very best years and Roger's dotage. It isn't that 30-something Roger hasn't been great, but he's been less consistent than he was when he was younger. If they were the same age, the H2H would be quite different.

Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a Slam since 2012...that's seven years and 4 Slams in a row. Sound familiar? Not saying that 2019 Wimbledon will be their version of 2017 AO, but stranger things have happened.

This. As much as Djoker fans and Fed haters will say otherwise, the Fed-Djokovic rivalry is way different than Fedal as both have dominated the other during their respective primes. The main difference is they have played the vast majority of their matches since 2010 (that is probably the only "neutral" year as far as career trajectory is concerned). Especially true at majors as this is their 11th meeting since 2010 compared to 5 before it. What would the H2H be if that was flipped?

Obviously I like Djoker a ton more than Nadal but the difference is obvious. Rafa was beating Roger a lot during his prime, whereas the primes of Novak and Roger never intersected.

 

[DarthFed]

I was completely wrong in Nadal-Fed match prediction. I never anticipated that Nadal would play so poorly in such a big match.

So I'm going to stick my head out and make another prediction. And you can all laugh at me when I get this wrong as well.

Novak in 3 sets (or 4 at most). From a tennis perspective, I've not seen anything in Fed's game that would trouble Novak. All the serves that Nadal was not returning on Friday, would be coming back with interest. Djokovic would be deadly from the backhand wing as well - stretching Fed wide and LOW cross court which Rafa was unable to do. Further Djokovic is much more solid from the baseline and his defense much stronger. So I cannot see Fed winning any long rallies. On top of that Djokovic's serve is the strongest of the big 3 and his net play, statistically, the best as well (both in this tournament). So what does Fed do to win the match? He doesn't have the stylistic matchup advantage over Djoker that Wawrinka has.

Agut's match was probably the toughest for Djokovic in the tournament. Just as the Medvedev match was in the AO 2019. I would be surprised if the final is not one-sided.

I'm adding another Nadal fan to the "Rafa played so poorly in 2019" camp who also is in the "Roger was amazing in 2008" camp.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Good morning, fellow Feddies, Novakians and other non-binary tennis fans.
Let us hope to see good tennis.
May the best grass court player (aka Fed) win.

 

[MikeOne]

I'm adding another Nadal fan to the "Rafa played so poorly in 2019" camp who also is in the "Roger was amazing in 2008" camp.

Unlike others, i never make excuses for Nadal or Djoker losses. When Rafa was manhandled by Novak in 2011-12, i simply stated 'too good'. when Novak was beaten by Stan, i simply stated 'Stan is a bad match-up'.

let's be honest, the worst are Fed fans who always claim Fed is either sick (mono), mentally weak or playing terribly when he loses to novak or Nadal. You guys are by far the worst... Fed can lose 10 times to Novak or Nadal and the reason is 'sick, playing bad or weak' but every time he wins, it's 'Novak and Nadal played their best, Fed too good when he plays well'

Fen fanatics are the most extreme... without a doubt.

 

[MikeOne]

This is a big match, Novak can get to 5 Wimbledons and 16 slams here. He may have a shot at the unthinkable! get to 8 Wimbledons and 20 slams! Federer may be thinking Novak is a bigger threat to him than Rafa, especially because Novak has a match-up advantage against Rafa so you would think he has a better shot at more slams in next 2-5 years.

 

[kskate2]

Djoke appears pretty confident: "He knows he has the tools on this court and this surface that if he plays his game he will win no matter who's on the other side not even an 8-time champ."

 

[britbox]

Edberg in the house.

 

[kskate2]

We've put up the the Livechat for the match.
https://www.tennisfrontier.com/tennisforum/taigachat/

 

[MikeOne]

djokovic and nadal are very different players. I can already see Federer is trying to avoid rallies by bringing in Novak with short slices, with Nadal, Federer was comfortable from the back, on grass.

Djokovic is tough off the baseline and against Roger he seems to be more offensive.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Climax time

 

[MikeOne]

federer is playing very well, aggressive, using slice, nice net play... if he loses this set, will be devastating. He can't lose a set playing this well. Novak is playing solid... high quality

 

[MikeOne]

devastating, Federer did everything well.. lost set. thin margins, becomes test of nerves when both are at this level, a point here and there makes difference.

 

[Bonaca]

Wooww, yeeesss. Big match, big first set! My man is there!!!! Maestro fantastic also.

 

[DarthFed]

Did everything well except when the points mattered.

 

[MikeOne]

This is what i mentioned before the match that Djokovic does sometimes, he gives sets away with inexplicable mental lapses. He can be extremely mentally strong but is prone to a set where he basically behaves strangely, that 2nd set was very bizarre, similar to 1st set vs Thiem at RG. There is no need for this, it's just bizarre. He was so strong mentally in 1st set, then does this. Not only did he gift set to Federer, he made it easy, 6-1 which is terrible as he should be testing Federer physically.

 

[MikeOne]

Did everything well except when the points mattered.

and has happened to Djokovic many times before... this what happens when two players play at a very high level, pressure breaks you.

 

[DarthFed]

and has happened to Djokovic many times before... this what happens when two players play at a very high level, pressure breaks you.

Yes, playing Djokovic makes you go for more obviously. The miss on BP was huge.

 

[Bonaca]

My nerves, oh my god!! Come on!

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Will the so-called goat Federer become in slams h2h

4-10 vs Nadal
6-10 vs Djokovic

:whistle: