2019 Roland Garros Semifinal: Djokovic vs. Thiem

[Federberg]

Doesn’t matter what happens in the final? If there is any question about that? Kang will eat him alive and we will witness another boring french final, like 2018 and 2017. Not enough of that? even as a non Novak fan, it sucks!

no I don't think it would matter if he lost in the final if he beats a primed Djokovic in a slam semifinal. This is the holder of the last 3 slams we're talking about. That would be a statement in itself

 

[kskate2]

I tell you this for free, if Thiem wins this semi he has ARRIVED. Doesn't matter what happens in the final. But beating a big dog at the business end is no joke

Nope. Refusing anything free.
I gotta pay bae...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I tell you this for free, if Thiem wins this semi he has ARRIVED. Doesn't matter what happens in the final. But beating a big dog at the business end is no joke

I tell you this for free, if Roger wins this semi he is THE GOAT and it is the culmination of the debate. Doesn't matter what happens in the final. But beating a big bull at the business end is no joke.

 

[El Dude]

I tell you this for free, if Roger wins this semi he is THE GOAT and it is the culmination of the debate. Doesn't matter what happens in the final. But beating a big bull at the business end is no joke.

So you're saying that if he loses he's not the GOAT?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

So you're saying that if he loses he's not the GOAT?

If he loses it is not the culmination of the debate; but, he will eventually be the GOAT.

 

[Ricardo]

Novak with today’s game will loose tomorrow to the German bastard.
I hope he can raise the level, he is the better player.
Only Novak can stop bull in the final, every other opponent would be a joke. Like last year.

Thiem plays at higher level than Novak on clay, but he isn't quite as good a match player so will be a close one either way. If both play decent, Thiem wins....you would have to hope for Thiem to have an off day.

 

[El Dude]

Which one's the goat?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Which one's the goat?

They may be WTA Goats, but not ATP ones.

Where are the horns dude?

 

[Moxie]

Novak with today’s game will loose tomorrow to the German bastard.
I hope he can raise the level, he is the better player.
Only Novak can stop bull in the final, every other opponent would be a joke. Like last year.

Why do you keep calling Thiem "German?" (I suppose you can refer to him as a "bastard" if you want to.)

 

[Moxie]

Thiem plays at higher level than Novak on clay, but he isn't quite as good a match player so will be a close one either way. If both play decent, Thiem wins....you would have to hope for Thiem to have an off day.

I didn't see any play today. Why do people think Novak was not so "interested" or not so high level?

 

[mrzz]

The reason why I think Thiem is the slight favorite is simple: even his rally shots now are extremely heavy and deep. Unless the opponent is serving lights out, every point is a struggle. And the guys is keeping the level up. Even considering that Djokovic belongs to that very restricted club of players who can raise his level almost at will, I think the difference to what he experience so far might hurt him. Actually, in the patches were Zverev played well today (from the little I saw, from what I read here and from highlights), Djokovic struggled. Thiem most likely will bring at least that level to the whole match. If the Austrian can keep, or translate, that level to other surfaces, he will be a constant fixture at the business end of majors. That, of course, remains to be seen.

Of course, if we were talking about 2016 Djokovic, it would be another story, but at least to my eyes he is clearly bellow that level, even if the results, major wise, are similar. 2018/2019 Djokovic is solid and knows how to win matches. 2016 Djokovic was all that with a healthy dose of brilliance on top of it.

 

[mrzz]

Why do people think Novak was not so "interested" or not so high level?

I posted that he seemed not that interested during the match, after I watched just two games, the second precisely the one he was broken on set 1. I was watching the other match and just switched a bit after the first set ended there. It is an impression based on a very small sample. Most (or at least some) people who saw the entire match had different impressions, and I guess in this case their opinion has much more significance.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I don't think Novak is not focused. He is very focused and it is the exact reason why he is the favourite. He is living for this, for making records and he doesn't look any less impressive than in 2016 when he beat Thiem in straight sets. I know Thiem is a better player now and I like him a lot, but I have to give an edge to Novak due to experience and handling matches like this.

It should be a close one and a pleasure to watch.

I agree. It is wrong to say Novak is not focused especially considering he is the only male player to reach the SF without losing a set. However, sometimes when you look at him play, you get that impression.

That may partly be because Novak knows that he can beat these guys in the early round and is somewhat bored that he had to actually do it.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Heavy winds during this match. Sustained winds of about 30 mph for about four hours.

 

[Ricardo]

I didn't see any play today. Why do people think Novak was not so "interested" or not so high level?

don't know nothing about him not being interested, but he looked purely business like without the primal scream (that we are used to seeing from him)....however it was a straight set win so maybe that wasn't required. His level though, was pretty much his usual level. Zverev was the one playing higher level in the first set, he had break points in like 3 games in a row on Novaks serve but only broke one, then crumbled when trying to close out the set. Novak was simply the better match player by miles, could squeeze out a win even though the opponent played better. It baffles me that Alex can look like the better player for 80% in a set, but still manages to lose it....he has been around long enough not to do that (just look at end of last year).

 

[El Dude]

They may be WTA Goats, but not ATP ones.

Where are the horns dude?

 

[Bonaca]

no I don't think it would matter if he lost in the final if he beats a primed Djokovic in a slam semifinal. This is the holder of the last 3 slams we're talking about. That would be a statement in itself

He already made statements looking at the FO in the past years. His goal is to get the trophy.
This surely isn’t a prime Novak.
But beating one of the BIG 3 is always special, so I know what you mean.

 

[Bonaca]

Thiem plays at higher level than Novak on clay, but he isn't quite as good a match player so will be a close one either way. If both play decent, Thiem wins....you would have to hope for Thiem to have an off day.

The German showed a higher level than Novak on clay so far, even in Madrid, no doubt about it.
Novak didn’t reach his best, and maybe never will. But fact is Thiem can’t play better, Novak can, in addition to what you say about match playing, there is more than hope for my favourite player.

 

[Bonaca]

Why do you keep calling Thiem "German?" (I suppose you can refer to him as a "bastard" if you want to.)

What else is he, Austrian - German, no difference when looking at ethnicity.
The bastard one is only my expression for not liking him, sorry for that.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

It is very clear. One is perched way above the other two (even though it looks somewhat old).