2019 Wimbledon QF: Djokovic vs. Goffin

[Moxie]

Goffin gets the first break. 4-3.

 

[Moxie]

But Novak breaks straight back. Some good play...so far Goffin the cleaner.

 

[Bonaca]

Goffin is playing very well. Novak steps up and takes the first. At the and of this set, Novak is near his a game! If he shows this level constantly he will beat everyone!

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So quite the turn around here. And how many times have we seen that from Novak. It's almost like he lets you have the break you so desperately want so you'll chill out a bit. Let your guard down. And then he's still there at his best and he pounces. From 3-4 to 6-4. Takes the set. Meanwhile, RBA with the early break and they were ahead of Djokovic/Goffin and now they're stuck in a battle on serve and Novak and David have finished the first set.

Goffin with all the energy and furious offense from the get go. But Novak weathers well as he always does. And in the end he breaks more than Goffin breaks and he takes the set. Goffin just feeling the effects later in the set of having to do so much to get all those break points and started missing more later in the set. And that's what Novak does. He just says, "I know how good I am. I'm going nowhere, no matter how much you throw at me. Can you keep it up. Goffin served great and played great on his own serve and Novak couldn't get a break chance the first three games. Then his level dips. It's simply up to how long he can sustain it. But now. Even if he can go on a quick set run, as we've seen him do from time to time, it only levels him up.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

I really actually love what Brad Gilbert is saying here. It's simple. Not novel. Almost so obvious you don't think of it. I didn't think to say it. But it's as simple as Djokovic is willing to play defense forever. He's willing to play a shot to just stay in the rally longer, more than most and more than Goffin in this instance. Goffin obviously will hit a few. Everyone will. But on the run, he's much more likely to just go for it, to pull the trigger, and it's often too early and he misses more. BG saying it's similar with Nishikori. And that's about as succinct as you can say it. The experience of 30 or 40 years in the sport playing and coaching there.

I don't always enjoy BG. But he and ol' Cliff are having a blast together today and I'm enjoying it.

 

[Moxie]

Two errors from Goffin to consolidate the break, and Novak jumped in. Now Goffin has folded up his tent.

 

[Bonaca]

Two errors from Goffin to consolidate the break, and Novak jumped in. Now Goffin has folded up his tent.

Yeah but obviously it’s not about Goffin, it’s about Novak. He raised his level and that’s too much. I think Goffin couldn’t do much more than he has in the first set. Wasn’t enough.
I hope we see , at least this Novak against Nadal in the final!!

 

[tenisplayrla08]

I'd like to say that Novak has been sublime this set. But I mean. As good as Goffin was playing, if he was hanging in there mentally, he wouldn't be down 5-0. At least not this quickly. Really disappointing to see this from Goffin. I mean. Just really annoying and disappointing. Sad. Dumb.

But. You could already see in the first set that Djokovic is playing well enough that Goffin was not going to win this. Even if he was hanging in there. Which. Maybe Goffin can tell that and is just like, well let's just let it run out. There's a reason he's only got 3 slam quarters and no semis. Good to see him back and getting back into his best form and making the Halle final against Fed. His ranking will get a boost from this quarter run. Hopefully he can inch back up towards the top 10 and maybe do better at a later slam. But you gotta feel it's only going to get harder for him as he ages and as the younger guys, all of whom are 6'5"ish. Other than like Coric at 6'2".

Trying to get a hold here just to stave off the bagel. But he really should have dealt with that 2 games ago. Again. Goes back to what BG was saying. Novak willing to hold off on pulling the trigger until he gets the shot he wants. Goffin with less patience. And it's funny, growing up in the church, they harped on being patient a little. Not a ton. But I remember it. Don't feel like I here it much these days, in church or common parlance. But the older I get the more and more I see in most facets of life, tennis included, patience is just so valuable.

9 straight games for Novak. I mean. This is extreme. But again. As I said. How many times have we seen Novak let his opponent have the break. Or almost let them have the break. It seems like. And then just turn it up a notch and beat them as they let their guard down. Still. Really disappointing from Goffin there.

 

[Bonaca]

Agut will be a good preparation for the final. He is in a very good form. Consistent machine like level.

 

[Hamidreza Roohian]

Some people just are so lame mentally that it becomes bothering. Goffin, Dimitrov, Cilic, Berdych, .... they just have zero self-belief always just surrendering too fast. Play your game boy

 

[brokenshoelace]

I really actually love what Brad Gilbert is saying here. It's simple. Not novel. Almost so obvious you don't think of it. I didn't think to say it. But it's as simple as Djokovic is willing to play defense forever. He's willing to play a shot to just stay in the rally longer, more than most and more than Goffin in this instance. Goffin obviously will hit a few. Everyone will. But on the run, he's much more likely to just go for it, to pull the trigger, and it's often too early and he misses more. BG saying it's similar with Nishikori. And that's about as succinct as you can say it. The experience of 30 or 40 years in the sport playing and coaching there.

I don't always enjoy BG. But he and ol' Cliff are having a blast together today and I'm enjoying it.

I like this. Some really sensible analysis.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So Goffin nearly breaks. Doesn't. But finally holds to stop the run of games at 10. Lost 10 straight games to lose this match. I mean. If he can reset mentally and push Novak again that'd be nice. If he got this set though I'd be ... not shocked. But definitely surprised. If he resets and get's this set though, that'd be really impressive. Can't see it happening. But my point is, even if he could get this set. I mean. This thing is over. Has to win 3 straight sets from here and that's just not going to happen. Not with Novak in this form. And Goffin has already had to go 5. Can't see him trying to go the distance again.

 

[Moxie]

I'm watching the other match, but I see that Goffin has completely capitulated. Even the commentators were shocked.

 

[mrzz]

God damn you guys have some good dealers in Brazil.

As I was about to reply to @tented... it is the water.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Heyyyyyy. I just saw Kei's first car commercial. Jaguar using him. I'm not sure if he's had others. Maybe in Japan. But I don't think I've ever seen one. Good for him. Making that dough! Huge in Japan.

 

[tented]

But Novak breaks straight back.

I’ve programmed a function key to type this sentence.

 

[Moxie]

Djokovic looked very good from late in the first, but Goffin did really roll over at the first sign of trouble. Disappointing from him.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Well even if you say Goffin never had much of a chance, that was a poor showing from him today. Gotta give Novak the credit he's always due. He was fantastic. At his best for sure. But I mean. Goffin just completely letting a dip get the best of him and never really came back into this match after losing the first set. Sort of sours me on him for a bit. Just completely went away. I generally hate to say things like this but it was quite pathetic. Very frustrating.

But again. I mean, keeping your belief up against Novak. At any level, but especially how he looked after that first set break, it was pretty sublime. Best in the world. 10 games in a row. Not 3. Not 5. Not 7. 10. And still only allowed 2 more. Lost 6 games total to a former top 10 player in the quarterfinals of a slam.

I can't see Fed or Nadal doing that today. Both of their opponents better than that for sure. Querrey's serve to hard to break to beat him with the lost of only 6 games. And Nishikori certainly too good to only lose 6 games. Right? I hope so.

Goffin needs to go back to Thomas Johansson and, first, apologize for wasting his time, and second, hit the drawing board and ask what on earth he can do to never let this happen on this scale again. I mean. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe every guy on tour sometimes just meets up with one of the big 3 at their best and just has to take their beating and go on about their career. But I really feel like at least some of the games he lost today were simply because he didn't have the will to stay in it.

 

[shawnbm]

I’m not watching the match since I am in the office, but score line tells me that the Serbian slayer is rounding in the form. The Belgian there’s always a tough out and usually puts up a good fight. Even when playing poorly it is hard to see someone handing him a bagel, even someone as great as Novak. At any rate, an ominous sign heading into the semi finals if you don’t look forward to seeing the Serbian slayer on the other side of the net in the file.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Nole is looking dialed in.