2023 Wimbledon F: Alcaraz vs. Djokovic

[Kieran]

I just noticed it, now that you posted. That is too little free points for Novak on the serve. It is because of the opponent who returned well for the majority of the match.

It's interesting that the king of Tie Breaks actually played poorly today when it mattered the most, in the 2nd set TB. He duffed 2 backhands into the net and then tried to serve and volley down the setpoint and got a passing shot. It happened to him what he normally does to others. I think he got tight there. Alcaraz refused to crack down today and it made Novak uncomfortable and prone to errors.

The match until the end of the second set was deja vu all over again for me, following a similar pattern and score to 2006, when Rafa was the greenhorn and Roger was the default setting. In 2006 Rafa lost the first 6-love, and Carlos avoided that, and in the second set Rafa served for it at 5-4, but at certain stages of his career he was unreliable serving at that score and like today, they went to a tiebreak.

But Carlos was stronger today than Rafa was, and maybe Novak isn’t at the level Roger was at. But it was very similar - until Carlos saved set point in the tiebreak and ran away with the third.

Definitely the lack of aces didn’t help Novak. He got 50% of his aces in the first set, and the other ace in the third. It’s such a low figure that statistically somewhere it must register. Lowest number of aces by a player across 5 sets in a Wimbledon final. Carlos isn’t much better off..

 

[Kieran]

I'm ok! Congrats to Alcaraz! Ya never know; this win might have changed his future and record! No update to Djoker's Blog!

You don’t update it with the matches he lost? He bust a gut trying, put in a great effort - better than he’s needed to in a lot of slams he actually won.

The FO springs to mind. Followed by the AO. And last years Wimbledon. And the year before that. And I could go on…

 

[Moxie]

...unlike Safin, who had great talent but the mentality of a lothario

A correction: Safin had the lifestyle of a lothario, (and a debaucher, to his credit,) but the mentality of an ill-tempered 3rd grader. As a fan, I feel compelled to make the distinction.

 

[Moxie]

The match until the end of the second set was deja vu all over again for me, following a similar pattern and score to 2006, when Rafa was the greenhorn and Roger was the default setting. In 2006 Rafa lost the first 6-love, and Carlos avoided that, and in the second set Rafa served for it at 5-4, but at certain stages of his career he was unreliable serving at that score and like today, they went to a tiebreak.

But Carlos was stronger today than Rafa was, and maybe Novak isn’t at the level Roger was at. But it was very similar - until Carlos saved set point in the tiebreak and ran away with the third.

Definitely the lack of aces didn’t help Novak. He got 50% of his aces in the first set, and the other ace in the third. It’s such a low figure that statistically somewhere it must register. Lowest number of aces by a player across 5 sets in a Wimbledon final. Carlos isn’t much better off..

Lack of aces has to speak to respect for the return, on both sides. They were both pressured on return for a good deal of the match.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Today's final remind me a combination of 2006 Final (6-1 set), 2007 Final (Djokovic winning a tight set ((4th set)), and 2008 Final (changing of the guard moment).

Nothing beats the 2008 Wimbledon Final though...

 

[Kieran]

Lack of aces has to speak to respect for the return, on both sides. They were both pressured on return for a good deal of the match.

Well yeah but I think also the changes brought into the game about 20 years ago. Agassi was a great returner too, but I don’t see Pete getting only 9 or 2 aces across 5 sets against anyone at Wimbledon…

 

[Kieran]

Today's final remind me a combination of 2006 Final (6-1 set), 2007 Final (Djokovic winning a tight set ((4th set)), and 2008 Final (changing of the guard moment).

Nothing beats the 2008 Wimbledon Final though...

The 2007 final was Rafa-Federer?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Actually speaking of the 08 Wimbledon final I rewatched that match the other day...good times

 

[Jelenafan]

never occurred to me that I would be the only person with a finance background. The same would apply to all of the other candidates. But more to the point, Roger's equity stake in the shoe company is a variant that differs to most outside of Jordan. Net worth isn't just about accumulated cash earned. Not sure why this needs to be pointed out. And not even sure why I'm bothering with a response. I guess I'm still hyped by the great victory today

LOL
It was a JOKE, of course he doesnt have that many voodoo pins. ; )

If anyone could care less it would probably be Margaret Court, she’s accumulating riches in heaven.

Disclaimer:
that is another joke, she’s a pastor now.

but too funny the speculative fmv of Federer’s share in that shoe company is into the hundreds of millions already…. Probably more than all the other shareholders LOL

 

[Moxie]

Well yeah but I think also the changes brought into the game about 20 years ago. Agassi was a great returner too, but I don’t see Pete getting only 9 or 2 aces across 5 sets against anyone at Wimbledon…

OK, so what changes, then, affected that they didn't hit more aces? They're both pretty good servers. If not pressure on the serve, then what?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

BTW I didnt need to bring out ,my Special Rosary Beads blessed by the Pope today seeing it went 5 sets looking at you Rafa at times

 

[Moxie]

LOL
It was a JOKE, of course he doesnt have that many voodoo pins. ; )

If anyone could care less it would probably be Margaret Court, she’s accumulating riches in heaven.

Disclaimer:
that is another joke, she’s a pastor now.

but too funny the speculative fmv of Federer’s share in that shoe company is into the hundreds of millions already…. Probably more than all the other shareholders LOL

For the record, I did think you were kidding. And for the record, Margaret Court's records mean nothing, IMO.

 

[Fiero425]

You don’t update it with the matches he lost? He bust a gut trying, put in a great effort - better than he’s needed to in a lot of slams he actually won.

The FO springs to mind. Followed by the AO. And last years Wimbledon. And the year before that. And I could go on…

Well there's the result, but the real updates are about changing 7 W's to 8, 94 wins to 95, & of course #23 to#24! Nole Blog

 

[Kieran]

OK, so what changes, then, affected that they didn't hit more aces? They're both pretty good servers. If not pressure on the serve, then what?

Well that the surface isn’t so fast is the obvious one, but the balls are different too. The game on grass is obviously not what it was before about 2001..

 

[Kieran]

Well there's the result, but the real updates are about changing 7 W's to 8, 94 wins to 95, & of course #23 to#24! Nole Blog

He broke the record for defeats in slam finals, you gonna update that?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well that the surface isn’t so fast is the obvious one, but the balls are different too. The game on grass is obviously not what it was before about 2001..

Players were complaining about the balls saying they were hard on their shoulders?

 

[atttomole]

OK, so what changes, then, affected that they didn't hit more aces? They're both pretty good servers. If not pressure on the serve, then what?

Could it be the surface played differently.

 

[Kieran]

Players were complaining about the balls saying they were hard on their shoulders?

They’re heavier this year?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

They’re heavier this year?

Yep apparently

 

[Fiero425]

He broke the record for defeats in slam finals, you gonna update that?

Of course not! That's a "negative!" Fedal have plenty of their own, but I'm sure it won't be featured in their combined resumes! Navratilova has the same thing going for her; plenty of positives, but a huge negative was her winning just over .500 in majors; 18-14 IIRC!