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What an interesting match Djokovic vs. Federer is (in progress)…
31 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
It’s not over but a compelling clash it certainly is. Federer is greeted like the hero by the packed house of Chatrier Court, while Djokovic is just about ignored with a subdued reception. The match opens oddly with service breaks but the fans are almost rabidly pro-Roger. Djokovic appears uncomfortable with the court surface as he is slipping frequently. Not much is going right for the unbeaten Serbian.
On top of that, the chair umpire warns Djokovic for the time violation and the goon in the crowd yells during a Djokovic forehand which causes him to miss on game point.
Federer raises his game and is up for this challenge. He is serving as well as he ever has, kissing lines all over with sublime accuracy. With just about everything going his way Federer pulls out the first set in a tiebreak.
Djokovic is down and just about gives away the second set, looking more like the 2009 version of himself than the guy who has won every singles match he’s played this year (he lost in doubles with Andy Murray in Miami).
Down two sets, Djokovic appears ready to fold and head to London. The old Djokovic would have likely surrendered in this situation. But Nole decides to change gears and fight with all his heart and fury. With the crowd feeling sympathy for Djokovic, he jumps out to a 3-0 lead and not long after it’s a 6-3 set for Djokovic. Two sets to one for Roger.
It’s starting to look like this match could change to Djokovic’s favor. Federer holds to open the fourth and takes a 0-30 lead on Djokovic’s service game. Key point in the match right here for Djokopvic. I still like him to win this match, he is playing like he really can now and not the ghost of himself he showed in the first two sets.
Djokovic is managing the difficult crowd masterfully, though they were against him early on, that dynamic is altering. This is a fascinating match, and can be interpreted in so many ways. What do you think?
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Sakhi · June 3, 2011 at 8:07 pm
I hope Dan is eating MAJOR CROW right now!! The King is back!
Andrew Miller · June 3, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Federer didn’t count himself out, and in a gladiator sport, like tennis or boxing, as long as two people are in the ring, it ain’t over till it’s over.
Scoop Malinowski · June 3, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Excellent performance by Federer, especially the serving. He brought his A plus game today, had just about the full house support, along with the chair umpire. Djokovic started off tight and never got going really. It’s about time he lost. With how deep tennis is today, for him to win over 40 matches in a row is just amazing, beyond amazing really. As great as Sampras, Federer, Agassi, and Nadal are/were they’ll never accomplish what Djokovic did to start the year off this year. But credit to Federer, you just can never count him out. Though Nadal has to be a lot happier with this result.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2011 at 1:02 am
Gotta admit I am pulling for Federer! He is the underdog again. Even if Nadal is happy about this.
Sakhi · June 4, 2011 at 2:30 am
Oh, c’mon Scoop, Novak choked big time in the second set. This has nothing to do with fatigue or how much tennis he’s played. He simply lost his nerve when it came to the big occasion!
Dan Markowitz · June 4, 2011 at 3:27 am
Well, I have watched the first set and I’m surprised to say the least with Djoko slipping all over the place and reverting to bouncing the ball again like he was a bounceaholic. Fed played well, particularly when he was down two set points on his serve. His serve is remarkable how he’s tattooing it, but he shanked a couple of forehands and the opportunity was there for Djoko.
I give Federer credit. He was moving extremely well in those cross-court rallies. It’s not easy defending against Djoko. But Djoko–maybe because of the four-day layoff or the additional pressure–was not playing his A-game in the first set. Hopefully, I’ll get to watch the end of the match by tomorrow. Until then, I’ve got to roast some crow and eat it.
Michael · June 4, 2011 at 8:09 am
Start eating. It’s over.
Awesome win in which Fed:
(1) may end the preposterous over-the-top posts by both Dan and Scoop concerning Djokovic.
It’s not picking Djoker to win that was crazy. He was always #2 odds-wise behind Nadal (I think some sites had them even) it was all the GOAT talk when the guy has ZERO French, W and USO. And the other two guys have put up the results for years.
(2) Fed gives Dan the middle finger for the Miami interview. 😉
Michael · June 4, 2011 at 8:34 am
@Scoop “I still like him to win this match”
The commentators noted that Fed had 174 wins and zero losses when he goes up two sets love. So still liking Djoker at that point starts to look like stubborn more than analytical.
“As great as Sampras, Federer, Agassi, and Nadal are/were they’ll never accomplish what Djokovic did to start the year off this year.”
A great streak. Nothing to sneeze at. And Djoker is great for the game. But the meat of the tennis season is RG through USO. And Djoker has many years of stats to post before he should be mentioned in the same class as those four. That isn’t a dig at Djoker — it’s just a fact.
I don’t get the dismissing of Nadal though. Nadal is the reigning champ of the three biggest titles in tennis. He won RG and W back-to-back which has to be one of (if not the) most difficult task in tennis. He has lost 1 match in 6 years at RG. He lost IN THE FINALS to a hot Djoker in non-Major events. But you completely discounted his chances. The odds makers had him the favorite. (Some sites the two were even but I don’t recall any site that had Novak the favorite.) I don’t get the certainty of picking Djoker.
Anyway, now we can move on to discussing Roddick’s W chances. I place them near zero to win and 50% chance to reach week two if he has a good draw. If he doesn’t (e.g., someone like Isner or Raonic or another big server) make it 25%.
Harold · June 4, 2011 at 11:19 am
Don’t eat too much Dan, In Aug when Fed turns 30, you’ll become his biggest fan, as it seems you have a soft spot for the “over30” crowd
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Nadal ALWAYS beats Federer in FO finals, hard to see Fed pulling off the surprise tomorrow but we can never underestimate the man. For sure Nadal will not forget to roll heavy topspin to Fed’s backhand – which, rather strangely, Djokovic did not do enough of, he elected to hit with pace to Fed’s backhand. At least that’s what I saw.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Frustration was a part of it too Saki, having lost the first set, the crowd against him, the slipping on the clay, and maybe seeing that his father abandoned the match. That was a curious move by the father.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2011 at 12:39 pm
I thought Djokovic was relaxing and about to reach his A-plus game in the fourth set but Fed raised his too and kept the pressure on. Djokovic had his chances to take the fourth and from there, with the momentum, would have likely won the fifth. Fed played a fantastic match, served incredible. But I don’t think Djokovic played his best tennis yesterday, for a number of reasons. Nadal is sitting pretty now. He was dismissed because I don’t see how he could have beat Djokovic in the final, after losing four straight finals. But Nadal should roll over Fed tomorrow, like he always seems to do on final Sunday in Paris.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2011 at 3:08 pm
How about Li Na – I think Scoop and Dan are both big supporters of Li Na. Heck of a win. As I watched it, I thought that Schiavone would win the 2nd set after the dominant Li Na tightened up and lost the 2nd set lead – and it seemed Li Na was pulling a bit of a Wawrinka. Then Li Na recovered in the 10th game of the 2nd set to overcome a Schiavone threat to win the set, pulled out the 12th game, and it was all Na Li from then on out.
Na Li played better for the majority of the match and showed some clutch tennis in stepping on the accelerator in the final tiebreak, a 7-0 blowout.
Commentators keep calling this a win for China, but heck this to me is Li Na’s moment. Got to say: I like her game, she can “do it all” out there – serves well, moves well, has a volley, plays clever tennis, has a heck of a forehand and a solid two hander.
Credit to Li Na. She deserves the win.
A good 2nd set from Schiavone, but Schiavone was outplayed today on a lot of levels. Some flashes of brilliance but it seems she was not clued in – as much to do with the power and guts of Li Na but a shaky performance here for a lot of the match, save the 2nd set, from Schiavone. A poor tiebreak.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2011 at 3:12 pm
It was a beautiful moment Andrew, I like Li Na a lot, never did a Biofile with her but just like her game and how she competes and felt this was long overdue. It really looked perilous late in the second as it seemed she would just fall apart and just die in the third set. But she played her best tennis when it counted most. INcredible performance by Li Na and Schiavone too she put up such a fight despite being outplayed and made an unforgettable match of it.
Dan Markowitz · June 4, 2011 at 3:16 pm
I do agree with Scoop on two points: Djoko did not play as well as he had been playing and Nadal is one fortunate dude he’s playing Fed in the finals and not Djoko. Fed has to still be smarting from the spanking he took in Miami from Nadal and the court in Paris has to be slower than it was in Miami. Fed has to hope for a very hot, dry day, which it appears it won’t be.
Michael, you dismiss the fact that Scoop and I were not saying Djoko is the GOAT now or will be by next year, but the way he’s been playing, IF he can sustain that level and mastery over his top opponents, he might just be in the discussion for the GOAT in 2015.
Something has to be questioned about why Djoko was going back to his sniffing and head turnings. Was it nerves, the heavy conditions, the time off between matches? And why was a guy with his beautiful balance slipping all over the place? I know if I was going to go out and buy a pair of sneakers to play on the clay today, I wouldn’t buy an Adidas shoe.
gaspard · June 4, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Very high level match. Djokovic played extremely well, as has been the case this whole season, but came up against the GOAT playing well. Federer put in an excellent performance and will probably take this confidence into the rest of the season.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Good point on the adidas Dan, also Li Na wore Nikes today like Federer yesterday and Li Na seemed to have near perfect balance on clay which is not her best surface. Nike superior to adidas on red clay? We saw a lot of evidence this weekend in Paris. Another thing about the Djokovic-Federer match was how the crowd was so totally for Fed. It was like watching a soccer game in Brazil with Serbia playing Brazil. Or Ali vs. Foreman in Zaire with all of Africa for Ali. I think the crowd played a part in the outcome. I liked how Djokovic showed class after and waved to the crowd, hopefully one day this will help him gain the support of the crowd in the future like Federer had it yesterday.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Djokovic had a HECKUVA clay season – one of the best ever (undefeated) since Muster/Guga/Nadal, taking out Nadal twice in back to back Masters titles. A huge clay season – can’t really take that away from the guy – he knows he had a heckuva season.
If Djokovic keeps playing this way – and stays a little more focused in the semifinals of a Slam – he is going to either put himself in the finals or win another Major this year, giving him 2 majors and a true claim to the top ranking (2 majors per year is a co-number one or number one ranking to me, just like when Mauresmo won two majors, she was #1 in my mind).
Li Na – what can I say? I am just really happy for her. I was happy for Schiavone last year and I am happy to see the nerve and clutch performance in the final games of the 2nd set from Li Na, she deserved the title! She is a great player – she might even be able to take out Serena Williams if they meet up at US Open.
Sakhi · June 4, 2011 at 7:12 pm
Ummm…..we’re attributing Djoker’s loss partially to his shoes!! Seriously. I would again suggest that Djoker CHOKED. He’s done this before when he had a chance to be number 2 in a match against Federer (you’ll have to look up the exact match). He had come in with some wins against Fed but when it came to clutch time, he CHOKED. I don’t care how well he’s playing –it’s all about nerves at GS finals, especially RG and W where the meat of the tour lies.
I applaud Djoker but I will bet Dan and Scoop that he’s never going to win more than 4-5 Grand Slams. He simply does not have the enduring resilience of a Federer or Nadal.
that said, I wouldn’t write Federer off for tomorrow. nadal may well win (as he’s deserved to) but we might have a better match than what we’ve had in the past.
here’s to good tennis and to Li Na. To repeat what a comment earlier said, this is only partially a win for the Chinese state–Li Na has repeatedly been an iconoclast and critical of the Chinese federation. She’s an imaginative player and a young 29!!
Dan Markowitz · June 4, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Sakhi,
I’ll bet you a dinner that Djoko will win more than five slams. He already has 3 and he’s arguably the best player in the world now at 24. In the next four years, 16 slams, you don’t think he’s going to win at least four slams? I do.
Sakhi · June 4, 2011 at 9:28 pm
dude–he has 2 slams, NOT 3. and you’re on.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2011 at 9:34 pm
True, Djokovic is stil far and away the best player of the year despite this narrow loss. Wouldn’t call it a chokovic, Roger played super tennis, had the crowd in his corner, served like a wizard, and was wearing the better shoes ) Sakhi, we’re on for a bet, Chokovic, I mean Djokovic will win AT LEAST five majors.
Dan Markowitz · June 4, 2011 at 10:19 pm
What! You don’t give Djoker another slam for winning IW and Miami double? We’ll discuss that when you’re buying me the dinner for Djokovic winning more than five slams.
Michael · June 5, 2011 at 4:56 am
“Michael, you dismiss the fact that Scoop and I were not saying Djoko is the GOAT now or will be by next year, but the way he’s been playing, IF he can sustain that level and mastery over his top opponents, he might just be in the discussion for the GOAT in 2015.”
Not even his dad would argue he was presently GOAT and probably not with a straight face that he could be by year end 2012 (though in theory if he never lost a match…)
I was referring to the hyperbole concerning his GOAT potential based on a 40+ match streak during the pre-RG part of the season when he has yet to win a single RG, W or USO.
I recall a statement about Djoker quickly becoming the greatest combo Clay-Hardcourt player ever ? Zero USO and Zero French and already being discussed as becoming the greatest combo Clay-Hardcourt player. Doesn’t compute.
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2011 at 1:38 pm
What, are you saying the ATP players don’t compete as hard during the pre-French Open part of the season? Come on. Every match, every ATP point is the same from Jan. to Oct. No one dogs it out there. It’s unfair to discredit Djokovic’s winning streak for the time of the season it happened. We’ll see how much Djokovic can build on this and improve his game. I highly doubt this is the career pinnacle of Djokovic. The best is yet to come.
Michael · June 6, 2011 at 4:17 am
“What, are you saying the ATP players don’t compete as hard during the pre-French Open part of the season?”
I’m saying, which I’ve said probably as many times as Dan has mentioned Spadea, that two out of three events may as well be a different sport from the Majors. The players are not robots. They do not play at peak form all the time. And, yes, they put it out for the Majors in a way that they do not for the non-Majors. They schedule for the Majors. And they try to peak for the Majors. The match to end Djokers streak at the French is of a different order of magnitude from some semi at a Masters event.
So given the big three had yet to be played it is premature to go on about clay court/hard court greatness and GOAT-ability for a player with not a single RG, W or USO.
And with the three big events not having been played and with Djoker never having won a single one of them, your statements concerning his GOAT-ability were over-the-top. Can he get in the discussion someday ? He does have a complete game. And not too many that can compete with him currently. But he is years of results away.
“Every match, every ATP point is the same from Jan. to Oct. ”
I know you don’t really believe that. Ask Lendl how many events/points he would trade for one W. Ask his agent at the time. No the matches are not the same nor the points. Ask Fed at the next interview what keeps him motivated and sticking around. Ask any top player. What kept Agassi taking Cortisone. To win another Miami ?
Djoker and Maria lose at RG and immediately pull out of Queens. Because it’s a warm-up event that no top player cares about — other then to warm up. Remember when Roddick hit his toe or something at Queens in 2009 (I think) — he then retired. Because he isn’t going to put anything on the line for Queens. If that were W he would play with a broken foot just like Borg used to get injections in the stomach to keep going at W. They’re going to do this to rack up another Indian Wells ? Del Ray Beach ?
Scoop Malinowski · June 6, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Winning Miami sets you up to win the major, builds the confidence and sends the message to the field. Sure they pull out of Queens because they are ready now for W and must pace themselves and conserve energy for the long run. Doubt Roddick will pull out of Queens, he needs some matches under bis belt. And Roddick hasn’t won a match since – can’t even remember when.
Michael · June 6, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Setting aside Djoker for the time being, do you really believe every match and every point earned is the same from Jan-Oct ?
So that, for example, Djoker is indifferent between his Miami-IW double and winning RG because the points are the same. Or that a player would prefer to win five 250 events rather then W because such player would be ahead by 250 points.
Maimi sets you up. Tell it to Roddick. It set him up for his usual first week exit from RG, upset by Lu at W and by Tipsarevic at the USO.
Michael · June 6, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Make that ten 250 events.
(or five 500 events)
being preferred to one W ?
Scoop Malinowski · June 7, 2011 at 12:34 am
Of course the slams are more important Michael but I believe every player competes as hard as he can for just about every point of every match, occasional tankers aside. I’m feeling a Djokovic win at Wimbledon, I think he will be very fired up to prove something and redeem for the failure in Paris.
Michael · June 8, 2011 at 1:58 am
“I believe every player competes as hard as he can for just about every point of every match, ”
That’s because you haven’t seen as much tennis as I have. It’s a nice thought though.