Australian Open 2024 SF: Djokovic vs. Sinner

[MargaretMcAleer]

I will put this result here,

Congrats to Rohan Bopanna and Matt Ebden AO Doubles Champions! talk about producing your best tennis when it really mattered
Bopanna a GS champion at 43!
Bopanna and Ebden won 76(0) 75 against the Italian duo of Bolelli/Vavassori

 

[Moxie]

Reply to @Moxie post about Novak's behaviour. (My internet still bad, so I reply like this)

It seems to me that Novak gave up on fighting. When excatly, I can't say, I didn't watch. I really thought he would fight with all he's got out there, but instead he went the path he explored before, on a mental walkabout.

Not to take anything from Sinner, he is the one who put Novak in such uncomfortable position on the court and all credit to him, but Novak not making a single BP the whole match tells me there must have been a lack of effort from his side that helped this statistic.

Which leads me to ask another question. Is Novak tired mentally and did he start thinking that he has enough records? Like, what is the point to chase more? Maybe he needs some rest to recharge again, loose matches and become hungry again if that is possible at this stage. He's been talking a lot lately about the family, raising kids and other priorities in life. He might not be at the best place mentally at the moment and it could have aided to this loss. Is he going to have another burn out period?

Again, all kudos to Sinner for delivering an upset in so dominant fashion, but I can't help myself and ask why Novak failed to put up a good fight.

You should watch the match when you get a chance, but I don't believe Novak didn't try to fight, and I don't think it was a mental walkabout. In a loss like this, from an ATG, at a Major he has owned, there are going to be several factors. There were several different reasons that Novak lost the W final to Alcaraz, too. As @MargaretMcAleer rightly points out, above, Djokovic basically hasn't looked that impressive the whole tournament, with the exception of the Mannarino match. He had some kind of cold/flu bug early on, and there had been a wrist issue before, though that didn't seem to come into it.

Your point about the fact that he has almost no goals left to chase is well-taken, and gets to your question of "lack of fight." How do you keep manufacturing intensity when you've basically achieved everything you set out to do? Don't get me wrong, I think he's still going to find reasons to get up for the fight, and add to the resume. But this gets to @Sundaymorningguy's point above, about age. More and more, the "mojo" becomes elusive, or harder to summon at-will. Like Wimbledon last summer, Novak hadn't really found/had to find his "A" game, and it just didn't show up for him when he needed it. I know a lot of people think that Novak is rather ageless, but he's just not.

Which brings us to Sinner, who HAS actually been having a great tournament. You rightly give him credit for the win. (I know you are just asking for eyes on the match to understand what happened with Novak.) He had a game plan, and he executed. He's got the talent and the chops to beat Djokovic, and he did. You make the point above that he may have wanted it more badly. I think that IS part of it, and good for him for having the hunger. I have always thought that, in the 2008 Wimbledon final, with so little between Roger and Rafa in it, that one of the x-factors was that Rafa wanted it a bit more, having been so bitterly disappointed the year prior. I love that we finally have some youngsters who trust themselves against the greats. Novak was right to say he was out-played.

 

[rafanoy1992]

You should watch the match when you get a chance, but I don't believe Novak didn't try to fight, and I don't think it was a mental walkabout. In a loss like this, from an ATG, at a Major he has owned, there are going to be several factors. There were several different reasons that Novak lost the W final to Alcaraz, too. As @MargaretMcAleer rightly points out, above, Djokovic basically hasn't looked that impressive the whole tournament, with the exception of the Mannarino match. He had some kind of cold/flu bug early on, and there had been a wrist issue before, though that didn't seem to come into it.

Your point about the fact that he has almost no goals left to chase is well-taken, and gets to your question of "lack of fight." How do you keep manufacturing intensity when you've basically achieved everything you set out to do? Don't get me wrong, I think he's still going to find reasons to get up for the fight, and add to the resume. But this gets to @Sundaymorningguy's point above, about age. More and more, the "mojo" becomes elusive, or harder to summon at-will. Like Wimbledon last summer, Novak hadn't really found/had to find his "A" game, and it just didn't show up for him when he needed it. I know a lot of people think that Novak is rather ageless, but he's just not.

Which brings us to Sinner, who HAS actually been having a great tournament. You rightly give him credit for the win. (I know you are just asking for eyes on the match to understand what happened with Novak.) He had a game plan, and he executed. He's got the talent and the chops to beat Djokovic, and he did. You make the point above that he may have wanted it more badly. I think that IS part of it, and good for him for having the hunger. I have always thought that, in the 2008 Wimbledon final, with so little between Roger and Rafa in it, that one of the x-factors was that Rafa wanted it a bit more, having been so bitterly disappointed the year prior. I love that we finally have some youngsters who trust themselves against the greats. Novak was right to say he was out-played.

I love your last sentence! Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune have shown more trust and hungriness in the past few years than what Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have shown since 2019 or 2020!

I mean just look at Zverev against Medvedev. Full credit to Medvedev for coming back from two sets up, but if you are Zverev, he needed to find a way to win the match, but he couldn’t find the solution.

 

[Moxie]

I love your last sentence! Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune have shown more trust and hungriness in the past few years than what Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have shown since 2019 or 2020!

I mean just look at Zverev against Medvedev. Full credit to Medvedev for coming back from two sets up, but if you are Zverev, he needed to find a way to win the match, but he couldn’t find the solution.

And Alcaraz. I know it helps that the great(s) have kept getting older, but I DO think that there are finally talented ones who show the spirit to win, not just look good on Instagram. I have lost all respect for Zverev and Tsitsipas. There was talent there, but they never could come good on opportunities. Now I doubt they will. Credit to Thiem, who unfortunately seems lost to injury. And Medvedev...though I hope I can hold off of admiring him too much until after this final. Forza, Jannick!

 

[rafanoy1992]

And Alcaraz. I know it helps that the great(s) have kept getting older, but I DO think that there are finally talented ones who show the spirit to win, not just look good on Instagram. I have lost all respect for Zverev and Tsitsipas. There was talent there, but they never could come good on opportunities. Now I doubt they will. Credit to Thiem, who unfortunately seems lost to injury. And Medvedev...though I hope I can hold off of admiring him too much until after this final. Forza, Jannick!

The only reason I did not put Alcaraz because he showed brilliance way before he won his maiden slam (2022 US Open). Sinner and Rune were work in progress so they weren’t as “automatic“ as Alcaraz, in my opinion.

As for Medvedev, him reaching back to back Slam finals after that devastating 2022 AO Final loss is a testament to his mental resiliency. For that reason alone, I have full respect for him 100%

Unlike Tsitsipas and Zverev…

 

[rafanoy1992]

One more thing: I remembered when some posters here suggested that Sinner should “tank” against Rune so Djokovic will be eliminated from the ATP Final tournament. While Djokovic did defeated Sinner in the final, the latter player has won two straight high stake matches against Djokovic including at the Australian Open on Rod Laver Arena, nonetheless.

Maybe winning a lot of matches do breed confidence, no?

 

[Moxie]

One more thing: I remembered when some posters here suggested that Sinner should “tank” against Rune so Djokovic will be eliminated from the ATP Final tournament. While Djokovic did defeated Sinner in the final, the latter player has won two straight high stake matches against Djokovic including at the Australian Open on Rod Laver Arena, nonetheless.

Maybe winning a lot of matches do breed confidence, no?

This is worth bringing back. Sinner didn't chicken out. Shying away from adversity doesn't win you Slams. I'm confident about that. Sinner is playing the long game.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I love your last sentence! Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune have shown more trust and hungriness in the past few years than what Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have shown since 2019 or 2020!

I mean just look at Zverev against Medvedev. Full credit to Medvedev for coming back from two sets up, but if you are Zverev, he needed to find a way to win the match, but he couldn’t find the solution.

I wouldn't put Holger Rune in this group, until he proves it in a slam. Even Tsitsipas and Zverev have made slam finals and several slam semifinals. Zverev just demolished Alcaraz in the Australian Open. Rune lost to a qualifier in the 2nd round.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I don't think anybody is getting routed on Sun. Both games will be close, but if the Bucs can breakdown the Lions secondary then Frisco better bring it.

Well you're correct. It wasn't a blowout!