Can you see Djokovic winning the singles gold medal at Tokyo 2020?

[Obsi]

I can't see him winning gold medal in 2024 but 2020 is a different story.

 

[britbox]

I can't see him winning gold medal in 2024 but 2020 is a different story.

I doubt it. I had a feeling he wouldn't do it here either... but in 4 years? Landscape will change a lot before then. Novak will be 33... that's if he's still even playing. Obviously not impossible but highly improbable.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I can see it, but I need a microscope.

 

[Federberg]

I really can't bring myself to care. I was listening to sports radio in the UK, and a caller made the point that if the Olympics isn't the peak of your sporting achievement perhaps the sport shouldn't even be in it. As far as I'm concerned Rugby, Football, Tennis, Golf.. take note

 

[Tennis Fan]

I doubt it. I had a feeling he wouldn't do it here either... but in 4 years? Landscape will change a lot before then. Novak will be 33... that's if he's still even playing. Obviously not impossible but highly improbable.

Me either. Too many things will have changed by then.

 

[DarthFed]

His chances are going to be small at best similar to where we would've ranked Federer here if he had been healthy. Tokyo figures to be on hard courts so he may have a prayer but he will be 33 years old at the time.

 

[teddytennisfan]

I can't see him winning gold medal in 2024 but 2020 is a different story.

SAME VIEW.

2020 -- WHY NOT? but 2024 is well nigh impossible. that's asking for too much at age 38 . but there's no reason that at age 34 with very good scheduling and maintenance of his game - he can be a serious contender still four years from now.

 

[teddytennisfan]

I can't see him winning gold medal in 2024 but 2020 is a different story.

realistically age 30 or very, very close beyond is probably what's in store - practically for anyone really.

 

[Moxie]

SAME VIEW.

2020 -- WHY NOT? but 2024 is well nigh impossible. that's asking for too much at age 38 . but there's no reason that at age 34 with very good scheduling and maintenance of his game - he can be a serious contender still four years from now.

I'd be surprised if he weren't considered a top contender, but I'd also be surprised if he won it at 33. Think of this: at 31, Roger had the best set-up, for him, to finally get a gold medal: on grass, at the All-England Club, where he'd just won Wimbledon a few weeks before, against the same guy, and yet he came away with the silver. That result was due to a very good and determined Andy, whose time had finally come; but it was also, in part, due to Roger's age.

 

[teddytennisfan]

I'd be surprised if he weren't considered a top contender, but I'd also be surprised if he won it at 33. Think of this: at 31, Roger had the best set-up, for him, to finally get a gold medal: on grass, at the All-England Club, where he'd just won Wimbledon a few weeks before, against the same guy, and yet he came away with the silver. That result was due to a very good and determined Andy, whose time had finally come; but it was also, in part, due to Roger's age.

so true!

i think bsed on what we know of nole -- all the capabilities are there..and if all things come together...i mean from his part.

but as in life -- it depends and not everything is according to even our best . but for me - CAN he in terms of his talent? , i think he can . in the end only time tells.

 

[isabelle]

no

 

[Moxie]

so true!

i think bsed on what we know of nole -- all the capabilities are there..and if all things come together...i mean from his part.

but as in life -- it depends and not everything is according to even our best . but for me - CAN he in terms of his talent? , i think he can . in the end only time tells.

The Olympics seems to be one of the things that is less based on talent than on some luck in timing. In 2020, when the up-and-comers have matured, and Novak is past prime, a lot of things will have to come together for him. More than this year, and look what happened...one bit of bad luck in the draw, and maybe an injury.

 

[teddytennisfan]

The Olympics seems to be one of the things that is less based on talent than on some luck in timing. In 2020, when the up-and-comers have matured, and Novak is past prime, a lot of things will have to come together for him. More than this year, and look what happened...one bit of bad luck in the draw, and maybe an injury.

so much of it is timing -- well a lot of things in life are --

but more so with olympics -- after all just every four years --

IN BETWEEN years might be the best years of some athlete -- and by the time olympics comes -- they're not at their peak or past prime, or not ready. etc...

 

[DarthFed]

The Olympics seems to be one of the things that is less based on talent than on some luck in timing. In 2020, when the up-and-comers have matured, and Novak is past prime, a lot of things will have to come together for him. More than this year, and look what happened...one bit of bad luck in the draw, and maybe an injury.

I wouldn't pass it off as any luck or bad luck. And you should know that's saying something coming from me since Rafa has gold and Roger and now Novak are almost certain never to get one (in singles at least).

For some of these players winning a gold for their country is so huge and it's a different type of pressure than they face when they are just playing for themselves. And of course adding to it is that the Olympics are just 1 out of every 4 years. Roger and now Novak have both had some shocking losses on what are great surfaces for them in the Olympics. I wouldn't just chalk that up to bad luck, more like a different pressure that has gotten the better of them.

 

[teddytennisfan]

I wouldn't pass it off as any luck or bad luck. And you should know that's saying something coming from me since Rafa has gold and Roger and now Novak are almost certain never to get one (in singles at least).

For some of these players winning a gold for their country is so huge and it's a different type of pressure than they face when they are just playing for themselves. And of course adding to it is that the Olympics are just 1 out of every 4 years. Roger and now Novak have both had some shocking losses on what are great surfaces for them in the Olympics. I wouldn't just chalk that up to bad luck, more like a different pressure that has gotten the better of them.

maybe MOXIE is using ''luck" more as a matter of timing -- since we all know the quadrennial nature of it does leave 3 years of what are productive years for certain players but doens't fall right when the oluympics come.

but you are also correct in that when it DOES come around -- it cn'at all be due to luck...

it's what it is -- and whoever is ''in the right age and time" in that year - still has to contend with the others who also are attending at just the right time in THEIR careers...and then THAT is the competitive field..and then they have to fight it out

just like in regular tennis years.

probably it's a combination of both -- luck or right timing -- and STILL they have to fight for it.

but for now -- of the big four -- it's RAFA AND ANDY who are right in the thick of it - while NOLE AND ROGER aren't .

so - we\ll see what happens./

 

[teddytennisfan]

ANGELIQUE KERBER TRYING TO CLOSE OUT STOSUR at 5-4

samantha doing well trying to keep alive...but match point already..on angeligue's serve...

second serve..
double fault! oops. deuce...
try again ...AD STOSUR
DEUCE..
WOW \
TWICE SAMANTHA gets points using STEFFI GRAF slice style...very low over the net and dies and slides away right behind it. haha...

3 times graf style slice! again by stosur...
deuce again..
4th graf style slice by stosur draws kerber in -- for an easy put away by sam...
deuce again by angel..
AD again by stosur.
STOSUR on her FIFTH GRAF STYLE SLICE

takes the GAME! HAHA.

BRITBOX -- you gotta love that -- our steffi's old slice at least made a little appearance! hehe.

remember how people used to call her slcie ''weak backhand?"

THEY NEVER understood what a WEAPON it really was. and even today. if players REALLY master it like she did.

I remember EVEN PETE SAMPRAS the GREAT - when winning some very difficult match and he started using more of THAT type of slice -- gave a nod to Steffi

by saying ..."yah people mentioned it reminded them of steffi's slice -- and i'm really flattered that people compared it to HERS".

 

[Moxie]

maybe MOXIE is using ''luck" more as a matter of timing -- since we all know the quadrennial nature of it does leave 3 years of what are productive years for certain players but doens't fall right when the oluympics come.

but you are also correct in that when it DOES come around -- it cn'at all be due to luck...

it's what it is -- and whoever is ''in the right age and time" in that year - still has to contend with the others who also are attending at just the right time in THEIR careers...and then THAT is the competitive field..and then they have to fight it out

just like in regular tennis years.

probably it's a combination of both -- luck or right timing -- and STILL they have to fight for it.

but for now -- of the big four -- it's RAFA AND ANDY who are right in the thick of it - while NOLE AND ROGER aren't .

so - we\ll see what happens./

You're right, Teddy. That's what I meant, and what I said: "luck in timing." I don't think Twisted is exactly right to say that some players feel the pressure to play for their nation differently. It's a different pressure, for sure, than just playing for yourself. But I wouldn't say that Nadal or Murray were less interested in playing for their own countries. Certainly not Murray. Really no one that I can identify has been more pressured to perform by his "local" press than Murray, for one. I really do think that Nadal hit a sweet-spot in his career when the Olympics came up in 2008. His was surfing a big wave at that moment. Of course, I'm a huge fan, but I'm not unwilling to recognize that. The Murray moment is more complex, and I won't bore people, but it makes sense. When you look at Roger's great career, and you think of when his Olympic chances came, you can say he really missed his shot in 2004, but that was early peak for him. And Novak: if the Olympics had been played in 2011 or 2015, he seems more of a shoe-in. He has struggled this summer, a little bit, with pressure and whatever the injury is. And the terrible draw of Del Potro first round, when what he really needed was to play himself into the tournament, if the injury isn't significant.

I think you're exactly right that the quadrennial aspect of the OG is a consideration. If it were annual, for sure Roger and Novak would have won a gold medal by now. And, as much as I respect the forehand of Fernando Gonzalez, he wouldn't have a gold, silver and bronze from 3 Olympics if they Games weren't a little odd in terms of timing and unusual draws.

 

[DarthFed]

You're right, Teddy. That's what I meant, and what I said: "luck in timing." I don't think Twisted is exactly right to say that some players feel the pressure to play for their nation differently. It's a different pressure, for sure, than just playing for yourself. But I wouldn't say that Nadal or Murray were less interested in playing for their own countries. Certainly not Murray. Really no one that I can identify has been more pressured to perform by his "local" press than Murray, for one. I really do think that Nadal hit a sweet-spot in his career when the Olympics came up in 2008. His was surfing a big wave at that moment. Of course, I'm a huge fan, but I'm not unwilling to recognize that. The Murray moment is more complex, and I won't bore people, but it makes sense. When you look at Roger's great career, and you think of when his Olympic chances came, you can say he really missed his shot in 2004, but that was early peak for him. And Novak: if the Olympics had been played in 2011 or 2015, he seems more of a shoe-in. He has struggled this summer, a little bit, with pressure and whatever the injury is. And the terrible draw of Del Potro first round, when what he really needed was to play himself into the tournament, if the injury isn't significant.

I think you're exactly right that the quadrennial aspect of the OG is a consideration. If it were annual, for sure Roger and Novak would have won a gold medal by now. And, as much as I respect the forehand of Fernando Gonzalez, he wouldn't have a gold, silver and bronze from 3 Olympics if they Games weren't a little odd in terms of timing and unusual draws.

I never said that the pressure was different for Roger and Novak than it was for Rafa and Murray. To the latter group's credit they've handled it better on the Olympics stage is all. Roger had crazy head scratching losses in both 2004 (Berdych) and 2008 (Blake) on fast hard courts. He was overwhelming favorite to win the tournament in 2004 and despite the bad summer he had in 2008 he was probably easily #2 favorite that time too. A similar surface to the USO where he mopped up 5 straight starting in 2004 and ending in 2008. 2012 was a different scenario and it goes without saying the marathon he had with Del Po in the semis hurt his cause but it was his fault for needing to go so long with Del Po while Murray got through Djokovic a lot easier.

 

[Moxie]

I never said that the pressure was different for Roger and Novak than it was for Rafa and Murray. To the latter group's credit they've handled it better on the Olympics stage is all. Roger had crazy head scratching losses in both 2004 (Berdych) and 2008 (Blake) on fast hard courts. He was overwhelming favorite to win the tournament in 2004 and despite the bad summer he had in 2008 he was probably easily #2 favorite that time too. A similar surface to the USO where he mopped up 5 straight starting in 2004 and ending in 2008. 2012 was a different scenario and it goes without saying the marathon he had with Del Po in the semis hurt his cause but it was his fault for needing to go so long with Del Po while Murray got through Djokovic a lot easier.

I think you're saying what I'm saying, somewhat. Or I'm being more generous than you are. 2004 "should," perhaps, have been Roger's year for the gold medal. But it was just in the beginning of his peak years, and Berdych, for whatever reason, has been just the guy to spoil things for Fed in a few big moments. Still, then, it was a bit of a fluke. If the Olympics had been in '05 or '06, it feels more like Roger would have won the gold. In '08, he was just off losing Wimbledon to Nadal in an emotionally punishing loss. Bad timing, IMO. I don't see that we're arguing against cross-purposes. To me, there is no really logical explanation for Fed or Novak not having a singles gold in Olympics other than bad luck in timing. And no, I don't think Djokovic will get one in 2020.

 

[DarthFed]

I think you're saying what I'm saying, somewhat. Or I'm being more generous than you are. 2004 "should," perhaps, have been Roger's year for the gold medal. But it was just in the beginning of his peak years, and Berdych, for whatever reason, has been just the guy to spoil things for Fed in a few big moments. Still, then, it was a bit of a fluke. If the Olympics had been in '05 or '06, it feels more like Roger would have won the gold. In '08, he was just off losing Wimbledon to Nadal in an emotionally punishing loss. Bad timing, IMO. I don't see that we're arguing against cross-purposes. To me, there is no really logical explanation for Fed or Novak not having a singles gold in Olympics other than bad luck in timing. And no, I don't think Djokovic will get one in 2020.

Well we almost agree. In 2004 we were talking a Fed who only had 6 losses including that one in the Olympics and won 3 slams. That was an enormous upset. Berdych became a thorn later on in big matches when Roger was past his prime and Berdych had become a little better himself. And you're right about 2008 being a tough summer but still, he lost to Blake in the QF. It was shocking. I also remember that 2012 semi well. It was a great match in part because you could see how both men were struggling badly to handle the pressure. It became a titanic struggle in the last couple sets but a lot of it was due to the fact it wasn't really great play from either side of the net. That actually added to it in the end.