Beijing F: Nadal vs Djokovic

[tennisville]

encounter number 38

 

[tennisville]

I think this one goes to the Djoker

 

[DarthFed]

I wouldn't bet on Djokovic to beat anyone good until it happens again. He has shrunk away from the challenges for most of the past 2 years now. Rafa in straights or 3 with an easy 3rd set.

 

[Kieran]

This is their first meet at such a low level since Queens in 2008, I think. The rest have been higher up the food chain.

Rafa is favourite and I'll go with him, in straights. But I wouldn't be surprised if he lost. Djoker will be unusually keen and away from the glare of Grand Slams, he might rise easier to the occasion of facing a fellow top player. Plus, I remember last year, how he avenged his US Open loss to Murray with a stern resistence in Shanghai. They're meeting very soon after Flushing Meadows, which is great for us fans.

But I can't go against Rafa, the mood he's in, and the way he's been playing since Wimbo...

 

[huntingyou]

Novak has this!

Rafa ain't beating this guys three consecutive times on HC, especially indoors.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Rafa in straight sets.

 

[imjimmy]

Nadal won both their matches this year that REALLY mattered. This one is almost inconsequential in the longer term and more for bragging rights. I'm sure neither player is losing sleep over it.

That being said, Djokovic's played better in the tournament and now that the pressure is off for #1, I have a feeling he would come firing and win this given the quicker conditions. He does need to do so to stop the bleeding against Rafa.

For Nadal, his next major goal is Novak's home turf in the Australian Open. For now, he just needs to pick a few 100 points for the rest of the year and stay #1. The tail end of the year was never his favorite part of the season, and 2013 shouldn't be any different. Bigger battles loom in 2014 and he would be wide to save himself (more crucially his knees) for them.

 

[calitennis127]

Nadal won both their matches this year that REALLY mattered. This one is almost inconsequential in the longer term and more for bragging rights. I'm sure neither player is losing sleep over it.

That being said, Djokovic's played better in the tournament and now that the pressure is off for #1, I have a feeling he would come firing and win this given the quicker conditions. He does need to do so to stop the bleeding against Rafa.

For Nadal, his next major goal is Novak's home turf in the Australian Open. For now, he just needs to pick a few 100 points for the rest of the year and stay #1. The tail end of the year was never his favorite part of the season, and 2013 shouldn't be any different. Bigger battles loom in 2014 and he would be wide to save himself (more crucially his knees) for them.

I think this "save his knees" talk should really stop, considering that all of his fans basically wanted him to skip every hardcourt event save the US Open after he returned in February, and yet he won 3 MS titles. If his knees were in such terrible condition, he wouldn't have done that.

The Montreal-Cincinnati run was the key stretch in getting him to #1, and if it had been up to the imjimmy's he wouldn't have even attended those events.

 

[nehmeth]

Novak has this!

Rafa ain't beating this guys three consecutive times on HC, especially indoors.

As much as I like Novak, he has reverted to being Ralf's patsy. I also agree with Darth, that in the past 2 years it's been the rare occasion where he's stepped it up against the top guys. Certainly hopes he wins tomorrow, but the belief isn't there - neither are the consistently deep penetrating shots.

 

[Front242]

Wonder if Djokovic gets close to regaining number 1 would he consider playing a random 250 mickey mouse tournament to potentially have more years ending number 1 to add to his career total?

 

[DarthFed]

Wonder if Djokovic gets close to regaining number 1 would he consider playing a random 250 mickey mouse tournament to potentially have more years ending number 1 to add to his career total?

The only way he gets close is if Rafa loses pretty much every match from here on out. Nole only has points to gain at Paris

 

[Front242]

Wonder if Djokovic gets close to regaining number 1 would he consider playing a random 250 mickey mouse tournament to potentially have more years ending number 1 to add to his career total?

The only way he gets close is if Rafa loses pretty much every match from here on out. Nole only has points to gain at Paris

Yeah, it's a long shot but Novak can gain plenty at Paris.

 

[DarthFed]

Wonder if Djokovic gets close to regaining number 1 would he consider playing a random 250 mickey mouse tournament to potentially have more years ending number 1 to add to his career total?

The only way he gets close is if Rafa loses pretty much every match from here on out. Nole only has points to gain at Paris

Yeah, it's a long shot but Novak can gain plenty at Paris.

True, you never know but in general Nole should just concentrate on finishing well. He had a great Fall season last year after a dreadful 8 months following his AO win and it is déjà vu heading into this Fall

 

[El Dude]

I wouldn't bet on Djokovic to beat anyone good until it happens again. He has shrunk away from the challenges for most of the past 2 years now. Rafa in straights or 3 with an easy 3rd set.

Define "anyone good"? Here's Novak's record against top 10 opponents (at the time he played them) in 2013:

Nadal 1-3
Murray 1-1
Ferrer 1-0
Berdych 3-1
Del Potro 2-1
Tsonga 1-0
Gasquet 2-0
Wawrinka 1-0

Total: 12-6

Maybe not utterly dominating like he was in 2011, but still pretty good. I think what you're reacting against, and why people are somewhat down on Novak recently, is that he's lost his last three matches to Nadal going back to Roland Garros, and his last match to Murray at Wimbledon. The last time he beat Rafa was at Monte Carlo, and Andy at the Australian Open.

I think its time to accept Novak for what he is and isn't. 2011 was one of the best years in Open Era history. Novak Djokovic is already one of the 15 or 20 best players in that same era, with a good chance at being top 10 before he's through. But he's not as great a player as Nadal is, or Federer was, but he's better than Andy will ever be.

Novak isn't done winning Slams. I suspect he still has a few in him, maybe more.

 

[DarthFed]

I should have said "anyone great". Fact of the matter is he has looked lost against the big boys for most of the last 2 years. Murray has had a better 15 months than Novak has too

 

[NADAL2005RG]

I think this "save his knees" talk should really stop,

I kind of like that talk actually. See the more they talk about Nadal's knees as being a concern the more awesome it will look when Nadal finishes with more slam titles than Federer. It will be like "He didn't even need healthy knees to win more slams than Federer. Imagine if he wasn't injury prone, he'd have won 25!" It will make Nadal's slam record look even better than if he was healthy :clap

 

[Riotbeard]

I think Novak gets it in three. He is typically much better this time of year, and maybe (I hope) he is finally hungry again.

 

[zalvar]

Novak has this!

Rafa ain't beating this guys three consecutive times on HC, especially indoors.

I don't think Beijing is indoors.

Hopefully, Rafa can cement his number one ranking with a win, but anyone who watches tennis cannot deny there's really not much gap between Novak and Rafa. This match will always be a toss-up for me. I'm picking Rafa in three because I think he'll have the confidence in the end. I also believe Rafa isn't pressured that he has to prove himself as number 1. He himself said he isn't worried about it because it's already happened before.

In the end, I'm looking forward to another great match between these two incredible players.

Oh and Vamos Rafa!

 

[NADAL2005RG]

Nadal defeated Djokovic in straight sets at 2010 World Tour Finals. So whatever the result it, wherever they play, indoors isn't a big deal.

 

[Front242]

I think this "save his knees" talk should really stop,

I kind of like that talk actually. See the more they talk about Nadal's knees as being a concern the more awesome it will look when Nadal finishes with more slam titles than Federer. It will be like "He didn't even need healthy knees to win more slams than Federer. Imagine if he wasn't injury prone, he'd have won 25!" It will make Nadal's slam record look even better than if he was healthy :clap

Yeah except there was pretty much nothing wrong with him any time he won a slam really was there? The times there was he either lost or didn't play. Unless you'd like to say he was in excruciating pain at the US Open and French Open this year to which my reply would be...