Australian Open 2019

dominatinMC

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Djokovic 5-2 up and yet to lose a point on serve.

Absolutely cruising. This could be a straight setter (who would have imagined) unless Nadal starts making inroads on his service games

EagererBeaver

dominatinMC wrote: »

Absolutely cruising. This could be a straight setter (who would have imagined) unless Nadal starts making inroads on his service games

He had his chances there too and didn't take them.

Thought Nadal would need to take the first to make it really interesting after the form Djokovic showed in the semi but we'll see.

dominatinMC

EagererBeaver wrote: »

He had his chances there too and didn't take them.

Thought Nadal would need to take the first to make it really interesting after the form Djokovic showed in the semi but we'll see.

Djokovic is playing v well, but Nadal is certainly helping him. A bag of nerves out there, loads of unforced errors

EagererBeaver

Nadal missing so many comparatively easy big shots here.

EagererBeaver

So many unforced errors from Nadal going for the cross court winners, off both sides and especially the big wide angle ones.

dominatinMC

EagererBeaver wrote: »

So many unforced errors from Nadal going for the cross court winners, off both sides and especially the big wide angle ones.

Nadal doesn't need a new serve, he needs a psychologist! Djokovic is living in his head these days :pac:

EagererBeaver

Djokovic is obviously playing brilliantly and well deserving of his lead but this is so, so disappointing as a spectacle. Think everyone was looking, perhaps ambitiously for 2012 pt. 2.

Maybe Nadal's performances so far in the tournament really do have be taken in the context of playing pretty much nobody.

A let-down

mzungu

Disappointing from Nadal so far. He will need an early break in the third to prevent Djokovic completely running away with it.

Floppybits

All over now.

jr86

I feared this could be very like the AO semi in 2016 and the Wimbledon Final 2015

Federer steamrolls through a lot of no-hopers (admittedly putting in an outstanding performance v Murray at Wimbledon however) before being completely outclassed and nullified by Djokovic, who peaks at the right time

I thought Nadal's new attacking approach and outstanding mental strength would yield him dividends here however, but this is just so professional from Novak

For those criticising Nadal's shot selection, its clear his new approach is to finish points early - given the amount of injuries he's had the last few years this approach makes complete sense and did allow him to blitz his way to the final unscathed. No shame losing to the best ever hard court player, albeit the margin looks like it will be disappointing

jr86

dominatinMC wrote: »

Nadal doesn't need a new serve, he needs a psychologist! Djokovic is living in his head these days :pac:

Peak Djokovic has successfully gotten into all the other big 4 players's heads the last few years.

When was the last slam match he lost to any of them? FO 2014? In Nadals' best event

If he didn't go so awol after winning the French I think Novak would have the slam record already

Chivito550

jr86 wrote: »

I feared this could be very like the AO semi in 2016 and the Wimbledon Final 2015

Federer steamrolls through a lot of no-hopers (admittedly putting in an outstanding performance v Murray at Wimbledon however) before being completely outclassed and nullified by Djokovic, who peaks at the right time

I thought Nadal's new attacking approach and outstanding mental strength would yield him dividends here however, but this is just so professional from Novak

For those criticising Nadal's shot selection, its clear his new approach is to finish points early - given the amount of injuries he's had the last few years this approach makes complete sense and did allow him to blitz his way to the final unscathed. No shame losing to the best ever hard court player, albeit the margin looks like it will be disappointing

Least on both those occasions Federer won a set.

lostcat

just what the doctor ordered for Djokovic, another handy straight sets early round win so he will be fres........oh wait

Chivito550

jr86 wrote: »

Peak Djokovic has successfully gotten into all the other big 4 players's heads the last few years.

When was the last slam match he lost to any of them? FO 2014? In Nadals' best event

If he didn't go so awol after winning the French I think Novak would have the slam record already

Easy to say that. He’s human and it is not easy to keep such a high level of motivation up year on year. Every player is going to have a dip. If he didn’t have a dip back then, he’d probably be having it now.

EagererBeaver

Nadal should have had that on the backhand into the net on break point. Should have had the forehand down into the open court earlier in the game. Just can't afford to give away those kinds of unforced errors against Djokovic, especially when you're playing so badly and are trying to find something, anything.

walshb

I was picking Nole, but thought it would be harder fought..

walshb

For some Fed fans his dip in form was between 2008 and 2018...

jr86

Schwarzer Kaffee Mit Sahne wrote: »

From what I hear his period of poor form was due to infidelity, not sure if it was Novak or his missus banging someone else.

He seems a very emotional guy too, almost desperate to be loved. He went and sacked his coaching staff and turned to some guru, he was completely for the birds for a while

I'd say he's kicking himself seeing so many slams pass him by in that period. No matter, now he's gathered himself, he can absolutely get into the 20s on slam wins.

lostcat

Nadal, it has to be remembered, has lost his last few big slam matches outside of the FO

jr86

lostcat wrote: »

Nadal, it has to be remembered, has lost his last few big slam matches outside of the FO

Looking like the FO will now be in jeopardy for him this year too if things stay the same. He had the benefit of Djokovic being in a slump the past two seasons, now he's back to his best it will be very interesting indeed

All of a sudden Novak is now going for his second time holding all 4 majors, and can become the first player of the Open Era to win each slam multiple times

funnights74

Fantastic play by Djokovic, a pure no show from Nadal, he will be gutted , I was fully expecting a nail biting 5 setter, this match reminds me of McEnroe vs Connors many moons ago at Wimbledon. Entertaining to watch but too one sided to be labelled a classic.

Rikand

Just too good

walshb

Schwarzer Kaffee Mit Sahne wrote: »

2008 marked the ended of prime Federer

Yes, just when Nadal was near his prime and when Nole was stepping up..

That bout of glandular fever destroyed so much..

Convenient that..

EagererBeaver

So disappointed, both from wanting Nadal to win and the level of performance.

Djokovic was great though. Still hate him.

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

Yes, just when Nadal was near his prime and when Nole was stepping up..

That bout of glandular fever destroyed so much..

Convenient that..

Novak didn’t really step up until late 2010 to be honest.

Rafa hit his peak in 2010 IMO.

Look at the 2008 Federer stats and you’ll see he lost to a lot of journeyman, something which didn’t happen 2004-2007.

lostcat

djokovic will sympathise here, he has been on the wrong end of a couple of no shows in finals himself.

The bottom line I guess is that Nadal didn't really believe he could beat Djokovic here. He will think differently in Roland Garros.

walshb

Schwarzer Kaffee Mit Sahne wrote: »

Yea because prime Federer always lost to Stepanek and Blake. Look at the stats, look at the matches and compare with your eyes. Fed lost his sharpness in 2008.

Federer's winning percentage was around 82% in 2008 compared to mid 90's for the previous 3 or 4 years.

These are the facts, until you can provide facts your opinion is worthless.

Facts? Yes, match wins and losses are facts...winning percentages per season are also facts..

Thanks for pointing that out...

Nobody is disputing these facts...

When a player is at his absolute best is NOT fact...

Nole, Fed, Nadal prime.....? Absolute best day(s)? Nobody knows..

Example: some of the tennis Fed played in SW19 2004 was arguably his best ever display. Then you look as recently as 2017 and you can argue what you see there is his best ever...his game/performance v Nadal Oz 2017......absolute tremendous.

You need to branch out a bit and stop relying on black and white facts so much..

walshb

Schwarzer Kaffee Mit Sahne wrote: »

You're disputing the facts by suggesting Federer was still at his best in 2008. What evidence do you have to support that belief?

I am not disputing facts..

The problem is you are placing all your belief in win/loss records per season...

I prefer a bit more analysis...

Nole/Fed and Nadal are neck and neck in terms of GOAT..

Point stands. Nobody can know exactly when any of the three were at their absolute prime...

They have shown brilliance across many seasons/years...

The Golden Miller

So all this talk of Nadal's new great serve, did turn out to be a bit of a false dawn. It was non-existent. Demolition job really. Was hoping for a better spectacle.

Schwarzer Kaffee Mit Sahne wrote: »

You're disputing the facts by suggesting Federer was still at his best in 2008. What evidence do you have to support that belief?

Well for a start, when Nadal got injured, Federer continued winning slams in the same easy fashion. Looking at the longevity of Novak and Nadal, it's clear that players are able to stay at the top for longer from a physical point of view, it really does cast doubt that Federer declined by 08. Is Novak WAY past his peak now by 5 years? Federer got usurped, deal with it!