Did Djokovic need to win this match?

[Mainad]

I think he did. It would have been a real blow to his confidence if he had lost to Murray in TWO successive Slam finals. His #1 status would have started to look seriously hollow.

As it was, Murray gave him a real scare in the first 2 sets before Djokovic finally got the upper hand. After the match was over, I'm betting his overriding emotion was one of sheer relief!

Order hath been preserved (for now)!

[El Diablo]

People overestimate the fragility of the egos of these guys. How many slam finals did Lendl lose before he won a boatload of them? How far did guys like Agassi and Sampras slip down the ladder before climbing back to the top? You don't get as far as Djokovic has gotten by having an ego made of delicate crystal.

[tennisaddict]

Originally Posted by El Diablo

People overestimate the fragility of the egos of these guys. How many slam finals did Lendl lose before he won a boatload of them? How far did guys like Agassi and Sampras slip down the ladder before climbing back to the top? You don't get as far as Djokovic has gotten by having an ego made of delicate crystal.

Very true. These guys are not one slam wonders. For Novak it would not matter much because of his streaks before like 40- 0 in 2011, 3 majors in 2011, and 2 consecutive years of dominance in a tight field.

I think today's match was very bad for Murray. If Murray had won, it would have given him enormous confidence for wimbledon and USO. He would have had a genuine chance for No.1 . Now I am not sure. The season is long, so he may come back in confidence for USO.

Also he folded up quickly after 2 sets. Not a tough fight. So his next major vs Djokovic, espescially if it is at USO, he is likely to be low on confidence.

[ark_28]

Originally Posted by Mainad

I think he did. It would have been a real blow to his confidence if he had lost to Murray in TWO successive Slam finals. His #1 status would have started to look seriously hollow.

As it was, Murray gave him a real scare in the first 2 sets before Djokovic finally got the upper hand. After the match was over, I'm betting his overriding emotion was one of sheer relief!

Order hath been preserved (for now)!

Well it's a Grand Slam final so I think anyone who plays ideally needs to win! I agree though that as the world number 1 he had a point to prove after narrowly losing at the US Open there was no way he was going to lose to a guy ranked lower in two slam finals in a row!

Murray I thought played well and on current form is probably the 2nd best player right now despite the rankings!

[Hodgey20]

I think there was more urgency in djokovic during the match then murray. He really beared down on big points and cashed in on chances when they arose. I do think there was more at stake for him too because he was defending the tittle (and points) from last year. And the year before for that matter.

[NadalAgassi]

Originally Posted by Mainad

I think he did. It would have been a real blow to his confidence if he had lost to Murray in TWO successive Slam finals. His #1 status would have started to look seriously hollow.

As it was, Murray gave him a real scare in the first 2 sets before Djokovic finally got the upper hand. After the match was over, I'm betting his overriding emotion was one of sheer relief!

Order hath been preserved (for now)!

I think he did. This was a huge match for Djokovic. It solidifed him as the Australian Open GOAT, and solidified him as the clear #1 he was at the end of 2012. It also prevented Murray from gaining any further momentum against him in slams, and continued his own momentum of his post U.S Open defeats of Murray. I still think Murray, and possibly if he returns strongly Nadal, are real threats to him the remainder of the year however, but for now Djokovic is the player to beat.

[Gonzo_style]

I'm glad he won the title, otherwise we would now have thousands of threads comparing him and Wozniacki....

[Mike Sams]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

I think he did. This was a huge match for Djokovic. It solidifed him as the Australian Open GOAT, and solidified him as the clear #1 he was at the end of 2012. It also prevented Murray from gaining any further momentum against him in slams, and continued his own momentum of his post U.S Open defeats of Murray. I still think Murray, and possibly if he returns strongly Nadal, are real threats to him the remainder of the year however, but for now Djokovic is the player to beat.

Are Tsonga and Federer dead? Because last I saw, Djokovic was on the ropes facing 5 MPs at RG last year against non-clay courter Tsonga and was routinely crushed at the hands of Federer at Wimbledon.

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by Gonzo_style

I'm glad he won the title, otherwise we would now have thousands of threads comparing him and Wozniacki....

??????

[kishnabe]

Originally Posted by Gonzo_style

I'm glad he won the title, otherwise we would now have thousands of threads comparing him and Wozniacki....

If that were the case 5>0....Wozzniacki name does not deserve to be in the same sentence.

[jm1980]

Originally Posted by Mainad

??????

He would be slamless (holding no slam title) at #1

Yeah, clutching at straws but never underestimate the ***** here.

[BauerAlmeida]

Originally Posted by Mainad

??????

Because he would be the N1 without having a slam, while Muray would have 2.

[librarysteg]

I was dreading the constant "he's not the real #1" threads that would have taken over for the next several weeks, so for that reason alone he needed to win.

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by BauerAlmeida

Because he would be the N1 without having a slam, while Muray would have 2.

He was #1 in 2011 and 2012 and won 4 Slams during that time! Wozniacki never won a Slam while she was #1. There's no comparison.

[The Bawss]

Are you kidding me Mainad? I know you are pretty much king Mard but come on! Djokovic doesn't fear Murray. I'm really not trolling when I say yhat Novak is aware he lost in New York because of the conditions.

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by The Bawss

Are you kidding me Mainad? I know you are pretty much king Mard but come on! Djokovic doesn't fear Murray. I'm really not trolling when I say yhat Novak is aware he lost in New York because of the conditions.

You know, I almost think you'd cut your own throat then ever hear yourself actually give Murray any credit for anything!

Of course Djokovic doesn't fear Murray but, unlike you, he certainly respects him because, unlike you, he has played him many times and had many close matches with him some of which he lost! Like tools, only bad workmen blame 'the conditions'. Even Djokovic could not say with any confident certainty that he would have beaten Murray if there had not been even the faintest rustle of air on Arthur Ashe that day (which there virtually wasn't in the crucial 5th set when he got blown off court by Murray and not by the wind).

And I'm certainly not trolling either!

[veroniquem]

ITA. This was a "must win" match for Djoko. Way more important for him than Murray. Why?
1- Only slam he was holding. Essential to protect his #1 ranking
2- AO is his best slam, best surface, best event with Miami (and Beijing). Losing there would be much more disappointing than any other event, and worrisome for the rest of the season.
3 - Murray is currently his main rival (except on clay). Losing 2 slams in a row to him would certainly be regarded as a shift of power, especially since Murray does even better on grass and fast hard (W and USO). Losing that match would have given Murray the impetus he needed to chase after #1. And that momentum shift would have been tough to counter

So this victory was much more important for Djoko (not even mentioning the record issue) and I'm glad he got it. This was crucial to keep his ascendant over his main rivals. Djoko is now in a great position with a win over Fed at WTF and one over Murray at AO.