Djokovic vs. Nadal Live Discussion

Nadal drop shot winner followed up by a sneering glare at Djokovic who turns his back to conceal his frustration of losing the point, gives Rafa set point 40-15 which he seizes on with a forehand winner. Opening set to Rafa 6-4.

Rain delay, with Nadal up 5-3 in the second. Nadal is playing his best, Djokovic is not. Could it be that Djokovic has slipped this year? Or has Nadal raised his level? Hard to say. Or is Nadal just having a great day and Djokovic, like McEnroe said, maybe woke up on the wrong side of the bed?

On a sidenote, so far so good that Mary Carillo has not tainted this fabulous match with her embarrassingly awful Nick Bollettieri voice impersonation. It was acceptable the first time, but she seems to do it at least once or twice every major now. Far worse than fingernails on a chalkboard.

The French crowd are really getting behind Djokovic too. Rafa lost control of the match. Amazing rally by Djokovic, to overcome the two set and breakdown deficit to the king of clay is just a wonder. To see Rafa calling “No mas” was also astonishing. You know Rafa would have finished the match if he were cruising. Nadal is badly dazed and confused, like a boxer who has taken a ten punch combination and barely beat the ten count. Djokovic must finish him off with a quick start tomorrow.

Nadal playing like a man possessed, far stronger state of mind than the whining frustrated player we saw as he left the court yesterday. Djokovic has to wake up fast.

Well done by Nadal, he wins his 7th. He played great today. But I’m gonna be blunt. I thought he used gamesmanship yesterday. Down 0-2 in the second, Nadal was crying and whining like a poor sport and I think it actually distracted Djokovic who gave him the sympathy game. Djokovic was up 0-15 in that third game to go up 3-0 but Nadal’s whining seemed to soften Djokovic who showed mercy and did not maintain the ruthless killer instinct. Instead of cruising to 3-0 Nadal ended up holding for 1-2 and that one break margin was quickly erased today. Nadal played great and kept the pressure and Djokovic was under extreme pressure today and could never shake it and relax. He tried but Nadal would give him nothing. Pivotal part of the match was that 2-0 game yesterday. I really feel like Djokovic was the better player and was cheated out of the title by trickery by Nadal. Nadal was not crying and whining today to stop the match at the end of the fourth because of the rain, he wanted to finish it off. Many great players needed to use trickery and gamesmanship to win major titles and I believe Rafa did it at the 2012 French Open. He is surely a great player and champion and it’s a shame somebody had to lose this match today.

Steve; Djokovic is human and susceptible to seeing his opponent, who he respects highly, very upset with the conditions because of having lost 8 straight games. I believe a small drama like that could have distracted and softened Djokovic who is human. Remember Bill Clinton arrived to watch Agassi at French Open and it clearly threw off Agassi’s game and he ended up losing to Grosjean. I’m sure there are many other examples of a distraction disrupting a match and turning it around for the losing player. As a matter of fact, my memory has many to pick from…You don’t think Sampras crying in Australia affected Jim Courier? You don’t think Pete’s vomiting and limping around the court affected Correjta? You don’t think those McEnroe arguments with chair umpires didn’t ice or break the rhythm of his opponents. You don’t think Ivan Lendl’s turtle play of slowing down matches (as cited in Brad Gilbert’s book Winning Ugly) with his eye lash plucking etc, didn’t break the rhythm of his opponents? Yes of course they did. I believe Rafa’s demonstrative complaining yesterday had an adverse affect on Djokovic. And it played a pivotal role in the final outcome.

Nadal told McEnroe today he “had to stop the match” yesterday. Obviously because he had lost control of it. He succeeded in getting the match stopped with his complaining. I think it could have been the key factor in the match, along with of course his exceptional play. Djokovic losing the break in the first game today was crucial. If there had been a fifth set today, I think it would have been very special.

Gans I think you are right. I do make excuses for Djokovic because after seeing him at his best, he is the best player of all IMO, he plays the finest tennis, like a machine. Dominating Nadal seven finals in a row is just amazing. None of those came by fluke, he flat out ruled Nadal which is just remarkable. To do it again two years in a row wasn’t going to be easy, not against a fighter as crafty as Nadal. I believe Djokovic decided, consciously or subconsciously, that to dominate tennis again this year and win the Olympics too, he would have to pick his spots and not go all out for every title as he did last year, except for Cincy and London. There was no reason to kill himself to beat Rafa the eighth and ninth finals in a row in Rome and Monte Carlo. Paris was the target, along with London (2). He got in position to do it in Paris. And it looked yesterday like he had control of the match. Even a friend of mine at the courts believed Rafa would win the match but after seeing Djokovic take control and we discussed it after the rainout, she changed her mind and thought Djokovic would win today. But Rafa came out of the gates a new man and got the key early break. Rafa had a very big advantage with the lead today and he held on to it, Credit to him for how well he played today to finish it in four. But if it went five I really think Djokovic would have won it. I still admire Nadal but his bickering with the referee in bullying him to stop the match was un-Rafa like.

Tom, Nadal threw a wet ball in the direction of the referee. He also pointed his finger in his face. The conditions were not bad enough for the chair umpire to get down and test the court or the lines. And the conditions were not bad enough to make Djokovic want to stop though he did seem to mistep or slip twice. Djokovic was eager to keep playing because he had finally reached his top form. The fans weren’t running for the exits because of the rain nor were they pleased when play was finally halted. In fact they groaned, because they knew this final was heating up and about to become something special. It’s just unfortunate that rain played a factor in interrupting what could have become one of the most memorable slam finals in the modern era. I will always, like you be a fan of Nadal, and you know I’ve always been, but I thought he showed a bit of ruthlessness this weekend that belied his well earned gentlemanly image. As my friend Phil Anselmo once said, “To be the best you have to get blood on your hands.” Nadal is the best on clay. And he does have some blood on his hands.

The clay seemed to be playing well yesterday, no one fell, there were no bad bounces, puddles or sightings of any frogs on the court. I believe there is a chemical which they put in the clay which generates drying. The quality of play by Djokovic in the fourth set was superhuman, he was opening the can of whoop ass on Rafa the king of clay. That was incredible to see. Eight games in a row vs. the king of clay. Rafa, like a battered boxer, bailed out and said no mas, much to the dismay of the audience. Yes it was within the rules and Djokovic, clearly a gentleman, did not protest. Great match but it could have been a far great match. The potential was there. Welcome back to the site Tom and say hello to your brother Dr. Gustar Rhymes.

Steve I think you would have been thrilled by a fifth set. And Tsonga would not have beaten Rafa on clay. Only 3 people can right now – Soderling, Djokovic and Verdasco : )

Andrew, Cecil Mamiit was a very good pro, I remember he played majors and was ranked around 100. He just never had the big win or big run at an ATP event but he was a battler. I actually hit with him once at Bollettieri when he was about 13 or 14, very nice kid, as all Filipinos are. He’s been Sharapova’s hitting parnter for a few years now, off and on. I remember one time he was playing the Australian Open and chased a drop shot and jammed his foot into the umpire chair and hurt it. Courier is a great captain coach leader and tennis mind. He is going to lead USA to a Davis Cup title, mark my words.

Harold I think she alternates but mainly uses Vladimir Voltchkov like you say. I remember he made SF at Wimbledon, what an achievement. Don’t think he ever came close to such a fine result before or after.