Novak Djokovic Hiatus

[roberto]

Having read the article, it sounds like a lot of armchair psychology based on subjective conjecture.

 

[Moxie]

Having read the article, it sounds like a lot of armchair psychology based on subjective conjecture.

As I said, it goes a bit too far in various ways, and I don't think the writer is at all kindly disposed to Novak. My point of posting it was, essentially, that even the NYTimes thinks that publishing an article about what the heck goes on with Nole is worth the time. Because we're all wondering. I did say that I didn't think his fans would like it. But we trade a lot here in "armchair psychology" and "subjective" opinions and conjecture. What goes on with Djokovic is so surprising and flummoxing that even the Times has dipped their toe into the conjecture pool.

 

[El Dude]

I think the point of the article is that Novak is a bit of an enigma, a cipher even. And that article wasn't nearly as negative as I was expecting based upon Moxie's warning. He isn't praising Novak, but he isn't outright bashing him.

 

[Moxie]

I thought this was a bit unfair: "a peevish also-ran, faking injury rather than fighting through a loss...". Also, I think that when Novak is "wild-eyed" he's in the hunt. What I've found disturbing about him of late is that point where it looks like he can't be bothered to fight for the match. The Thiem match at RG, and his presser afterwards really sealed it for me. When he said, "The match was decided in the first set," I was flabbergasted by that.

 

[mrzz]

Armchair psychology it is. @Moxie did right in apologizing to the Djokovic´s fans. There are some meaningful questions there, some compliments, but like it or not it is personal, and there are personal jabs (honestly, I prefer our discussions, even if it is true that the topics covered on the article are mostly the same as ours).

I know you don´t need to each and every time acknowledge the great things a great player did, but, hell, when you talk about personas you are talking about an actor, and an actor in real life is, basically, a false person -- that eagerly wants to be admired, according to the article. That´s the quick recipe of a jerk. I get that it is not that easy to understand what is happening with the guy´s game, but... in my book that´s a bit too much.

 

[Moxie]

I thought I'd bump this thread. Don't want to distract the IW thread with talk of Djokovic, but he continues to confound us. To be honest, he's looked like a man adrift to me for rather a long time. What's it going to take to bring him back to his best tennis? Is there a worry he won't find it?

 

[BalaryKar]

I thought I'd bump this thread. Don't want to distract the IW thread with talk of Djokovic, but he continues to confound us. To be honest, he's looked like a man adrift to me for rather a long time. What's it going to take to bring him back to his best tennis? Is there a worry he won't find it?

The great danger over the impact of a coach or whatever called Pope Imaz is not yet over. Problem with spirituality is that it helps you to be contend, and such an attitude does not help in a competitive field such as sports. Hunger? Thats what is required to win in sports, and spirituality helps to live in starvation too. I don't think a physical sport like tennis can be won on an empty shell, whether that shell is stomach, heart, or the brain.

 

[mrzz]

Djokovic needs time. His top game is built on a subtle fine tuning of precision, power and endurance. I have no doubts he will become a factor again at some point. Until then, there will be tons of speculations. I also expect that people from his old team will come back eventually.

 

[britbox]

The great danger over the impact of a coach or whatever called Pope Imaz is not yet over. Problem with spirituality is that it helps you to be contend, and such an attitude does not help in a competitive field such as sports. Hunger? Thats what is required to win in sports, and spirituality helps to live in starvation too. I don't think a physical sport like tennis can be won on an empty shell, whether that shell is stomach, heart, or the brain.

Interesting thoughts. Djoker may well have just lost that Eye of the Tiger.

 

[Federberg]

It's not clear to me at all that he'll be a contender again. Physical limitations are one thing, but this new paradigm where he loses falling away like he did yesterday and his loss to Thiem previously are ugly ugly losses that speak to his deficient mentality. He needs to show he wants it more than the rest of the draw and that's not easy, as the guys in the locker room will be taking notes and losing respect for him. The fact that Fedal have been able to do this repeatedly is entirely unique, not just in tennis but sport generally.

 

[britbox]

I'm not convinced either. I think people are buying into Roger's late career success (and Rafa's to a lesser extent) and thinking this is how it works for everybody. One thing I'll say about Roger and Rafa is that I've never seen them looking disinterested in a match.

On Andy Murray, gammy hips aren't exactly what the doctor orders for a pro athlete at this stage of a career.

 

[Busted]

I thought I'd bump this thread. Don't want to distract the IW thread with talk of Djokovic, but he continues to confound us. To be honest, he's looked like a man adrift to me for rather a long time. What's it going to take to bring him back to his best tennis? Is there a worry he won't find it?

I won't start to worry until the US Open approaches. If he's healthy but still struggling with his game then? Houston - we have another headcase problem. I had previously thought that seeing Roger and Nadal pull further away from him in the Slam count would be some extra motivation...but clearly it hasn't been. Maybe it's just a case of eyes bigger than belly?

 

[Busted]

It's not clear to me at all that he'll be a contender again. Physical limitations are one thing, but this new paradigm where he loses falling away like he did yesterday and his loss to Thiem previously are ugly ugly losses that speak to his deficient mentality. He needs to show he wants it more than the rest of the draw and that's not easy, as the guys in the locker room will be taking notes and losing respect for him. The fact that Fedal have been able to do this repeatedly is entirely unique, not just in tennis but sport generally.

Actually...these losses remind me of how he used to quit matches with all kinds of ailments when he was younger. Remember the time Andy Roddick said, "What's it this time - SARS?" And Roger said, "He's not a guy who's never quit." Now instead of quitting...he just goes away mentally and finishes the match. This is like a variation on a theme. He's already given up gluten, meat and sugar and sleeps in hyperbaric chamber. So what's he giving up next? Fresh air and will only breathe pure oxygen? He's a guy constantly in search of something more for extra motivation and that speaks to a deeper psychological issue than just lack of motivation to play tennis.

 

[Federberg]

 

[atttomole]

Let’s not forget that Roger and Rafa have had their own problems. After an injury layoff in 2014, Rafa struggled a lot in 2015 and 2016. I remember people were coming up with all kinds of reasons as to why Rafa was underperforming, including that he was lacking confidence, but Rafa turned things around in 2017. Djokovic could be going through the same phase, and just like Rafa, he could bounce back. What Djokovic is going through right now is hardly unique.

 

[Federberg]

Let’s not forget that Roger and Rafa have had their own problems. After an injury layoff in 2014, Rafa struggled a lot in 2015 and 2016. I remember people were coming up with all kinds of reasons as to why Rafa was underperforming, including that he was lacking confidence, but Rafa turned things around in 2017. Djokovic could be going through the same phase, and just like Rafa, he could bounce back. What Djokovic is going through right now is hardly unique.

It's different mate. I agree that Roger and Rafa have gone through periods where they've struggled. But they've never lost the will to fight. Novak just surrenders out there right now. It's disconcerting

 

[atttomole]

It's different mate. I agree that Roger and Rafa have gone through periods where they've struggled. But they've never lost the will to fight. Novak just surrenders out there right now. It's disconcerting

You could be right. I haven’t been able to watch much of Djokovic since he came back from his injury break. I was able to watch a bit of his match against Hyeon Sung at the AO. It appears like Djokovic ‘s situation is really bad.

 

[Federberg]

You could be right. I haven’t been able to watch much of Djokovic since he came back from his injury break. I was able to watch a bit of his match against Hyeon Sung at the AO. It appears like Djokovic ‘s situation is really bad.

he clearly came back too early at the AO. What I find more disturbing are his losses to Thiem at RG last year and his loss yesterday. Both of those were abject surrender. It was like he was trying to bluff the opposition that he was still Novak the invincible. I don't think even he was convinced. Something's not right with his head at all

 

[Moxie]

It's different mate. I agree that Roger and Rafa have gone through periods where they've struggled. But they've never lost the will to fight. Novak just surrenders out there right now. It's disconcerting

Disconcerting is the perfect word. At the end of the match yesterday you posted, 'thank god that's over' and it seemed like what Djokovic was thinking, too, when he hit that last shot blandly into the net. Roger and Rafa have had their periods of struggle, for sure, but I agree that Novak's version of injury/post-injury struggle seems unusual in a great champion.

 

[Moxie]

he clearly came back too early at the AO. What I find more disturbing are his losses to Thiem at RG last year and his loss yesterday. Both of those were abject surrender. It was like he was trying to bluff the opposition that he was still Novak the invincible. I don't think even he was convinced. Something's not right with his head at all

That Thiem match was a nadir for Novak, and I would add yesterday's, though not quite as bad. I wonder if you saw the Querrey upset at Wimbledon 2016, though. That was the first time he started acting like this. He completely went away in the 2nd set (lost it 6-1, after a close first set that he lost in a TB,) and then, after fighting much of the 4th, he suddenly seemed like he couldn't face a 5th, nor indeed the rest of Wimbledon, and he swatted around some loose balls and went home. Granted, it wasn't surprising to see a letdown after completing the Nole Slam, but he's never quite shaken that "letdown" mentality or whatever has gotten into him. I thought he looked like his old self when he beat del Potro then Thiem in Rome last year, but then he collapsed v. Zverev in the final.