SecondToNone
Semi-Pro
At least we got some bakery products as it was predicted.
Djokovic: "I felt no fatigue. Could have played for another few hours"
- Thread starter octogon
- Start date
D
Deleted member 770948
Guest
I think Nadal expected Djokovic to fold in the 2nd Set.
Nadal hit 21 winners (and 11 unforced errors) in the 1st Set........but played too carefully in the 2nd Set.
Nadal hit 21 winners (and 11 unforced errors) in the 1st Set........but played too carefully in the 2nd Set.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
He still lost. It just affirms the point that you have to win more of the short points (0-5 shots) that make up the majority of points to win the match.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
So what is he supposed to say... "I am furious I had to play 5 hours on Saturday and I was on my last legs in the third set today because of crap scheduling?" As if the #1 guy is going to admit any weaknesses and give ammo to his opponents?
This is the same type of remark as Fed has made countless times, "I am playing better now at 39 than I was at 20!" He's really going to admit the truth, which is, "I am a shadow of my former self and my FH is 1/10th the weapon it was in 2005." ?
It's utterly preposterous to expect any pro athlete to admit weakness publicly. Djokovic, Nadal or Fed could play a 10 hour match and all would blandly say in their presser, "I feel 100%, could play until June with no problem." The fact anyone believes what they say indicates extreme naivete. Anyone with two functioning eyeballs could see Djokovic was gassed by the middle of the third set.
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UnforcedTerror
Hall of Fame
He's just being a good sport.
duaneeo
Legend
True, but it was unpredictable that Rafa would get the bakery product.
TearTheRoofOff
G.O.A.T.
Yup. Real blink and you'll miss it stuff. Bread defeated in an instant.
Stop it. Djokovic said he was tired immediately after Nadal beat him in the 2019 Rome final. He blamed the scheduling then. He didn't this time because he wasn't tired.
Maybe both times, he was simply giving a honest assessment of how he felt. So calm down with the mental gymnastics. Djokovic was a fit and full of stamina and playing the best clay tennis he's capable of at this stage of his career.
D
Deleted member 771911
Guest
Lol. I wonder what he would think of all the posters here crying for a Monday final for him.
Lol neither played their best, there was a lot of swings where one player was subpar
catskillthunder
Professional
I seriously dont think Novak would give anyone bulletin board material to let players think he will tired out after X amount of hours of play. He needs to keep the mental game vs specifically Rafa that he can go all out in a BO5 match/
What are you talking about?
First set was incredibly tight. Could have gone either way, but Rafa snatched it. Rafa went on a mental walkabout for the entirety of the second set, which Novak steamrolled. Novak was solid for most of the third set, but Rafa picked up his level to win.
Novak played the best he was capable of playing on clay for at least two and a half sets. There were no huge mental lapses from him and he looked physically strong through the whole match (which he confirmed he was). Nadal was absolutely terrible for at least one set. Djokovic wasn't subpar at any point. He needs to play his very best just to lose to Rafa on clay in three sets.
Yeah, so why did he say he felt he only lost to Rafa in the Rome 2019 final because he was tired because of the scheduling?
The amount of mental gymnastics many (particularly Novak fans) are doing to try and dismiss what he said is downright hilarious
Martin J
Hall of Fame
2012 USO F?The agenda behind this post
catskillthunder
Professional
Gamesmanship is a part of every single professional sport. Players & coaches withhold information or straight up lie to mask what the real situation is. Do I think Novak was tired? Sure I do, but he’s not going to say that to give another player a mental competitive advantage over him.
SardinesForDinner
Professional
True. /Fedfan
Beckerserve
Legend
Djokovic changed tactics and caught rafa by surprise as Rafa i felt was surprised how fit Djokovic was. Then the change up rattled him as he seemed lost as what to do and his serve kept coming back to his feet and he lost his composure.
3rd set was dead even perhaps Djokovic on top until the BPs were saved. Then Rafa moved up the gears and Djokovic had no answers. Tactically it was fascinating.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
He lost the go#*amn match. Nothing he says or doesn’t say will give him any competitive advantage over Nadal at the FO. If he wanted to get in Nadal’s head, he needed to beat him and he couldn’t - a big reason being he got tight when he had a gimme FH winner on a break point at 3-3 all in the third set. If he shows up next time in a clay court final against Nadal with more self-belief, maybe he will make the shot that counts to take him to victory.
catskillthunder
Professional
Sorry. You’re entirely incorrect.
Beckerserve
Legend
Interestingly Rome 2019 Djokovic was much more expressive. He let everyone know he was feeling tired then in 2nd set he played lights out and won but then missed BPs in 3rd set, then lost his serve and he imploded breaking his racket i think.
Today he gave nothing away. Was zen like. He did not show any fatigue at all.
Of course over the week Rafa had spent longer on court so perhaps there was a bit of macho pride as well.
Djokovic played very well and can take loads of positives. The negative was when rafa moved up the gears and hit the DTLFH and DTLBHs. Djokovic at end of 1st set and mid point of 3rd onwards did not have answers when Rafa went up a level.
NatF
Bionic Poster
2012 USO F?
+ Wimbledon 2013 F lol.
Beckerserve
Legend
That missed FH is not a rare occurance for Nole in big moments. As great as his FH is it can leak errors at big moments. His BH is rock solid in big moments.
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
Thanks for the kind comment. Will be nice to Roger back in the mix soon.
I don't think this is an indicator of fatigue. I mean, points under 9 shots don't require energy and if the rally reaches 9 shots it's suddenly super tough? If you play a long rally you might be exhausted for the following short points. The distribution of points won on different rally lengths is no indicator. Or do you think if an exhausted player plays a long rally and wins it, he isn't exhausted any more when the following point starts which might only be a few shots?
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Too much logic. Lol
Martin J
Hall of Fame
I watched Marion Cobretti in action last night after several years. A GOAT movie.
And the PED
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Epic! I could never get bored watching that. It is a GOAT movie for sure. Saw Over The Top last week.
bluetrain4
G.O.A.T.
Can we stop with "fatigue" talk in matches - even if players ARE fatigued.
They're pros, trying to win a tournament, not just one match. If they can't handle all the matches and possibly a quick turnaround - even an unexpected one due to weather (which I'm sure they've all dealt with) - so be it; that's on them. Tournament endurance (mental and physical) is a virtue - not something that should be expected to be equalized.
They're pros, trying to win a tournament, not just one match. If they can't handle all the matches and possibly a quick turnaround - even an unexpected one due to weather (which I'm sure they've all dealt with) - so be it; that's on them. Tournament endurance (mental and physical) is a virtue - not something that should be expected to be equalized.
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socallefty
G.O.A.T.
If he is not fatigued, that‘s very good as this means he is ready to win Belgrade 2. Maybe he can play a good match in front of his kids.
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Mind games
and it looks like its paying off. 5 + hours of clay tennis yesterday and 3 more today.
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Wrote by @vive le beau jeu !That's not how the media is spinning it lol.
Nadal beats tired Djokovic to win Italian Open - TSN.ca
Rafael Nadal beat a tired Novak Djokovic 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 for a record-extending 10th Italian Open title on Sunday. The Spaniard recovered from a potentially dangerous fall after tripping over a raised line to take the latest installment of the most-played rivalry in modern men’s tennis.www.tsn.ca
Martin J
Hall of Fame
Hitman
Bionic Poster
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Exactly
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
HakaiRafa is ready
duaneeo
Legend
Posters rather argue that Nole was really fatigued rather than admit fatigue played little/no role in today's match. The 'fatigued Nole' prediction didn't happen in the long/competitive first set, the 'bagel now coming' prediction didn't happen in the 2nd set (and it was Rafa who was bread-sticked), nor did Nole die from exhaustion in the decider. This turned out to be a match that Djokovic could've won in straight sets.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
swordtennis
G.O.A.T.
I have to agree with him.
More than 2 more hours tho not so sure on that.
He was swinging freely right to the end.
More than 2 more hours tho not so sure on that.
He was swinging freely right to the end.
RelentlessAttack
Hall of Fame
Novak strategic tanks sets more often than Rafa, but Rafa will do it on occasion
T
TheNachoMan
Guest
He’s hardly going to admit he’s tired even if he is. Classovic.
zagor
Bionic Poster
He did seem to have lost his legs mid 3d set to me but I definitely expected him to be way more tired/beat up today, he put a great fight all things considering.
In general I don't take player's statements for granted but in this case there's also no need to overanalyze it. It's Nadal on clay, chances are you're gonna lose no matter what, goes doubly so for the FO where Nadal always raises his level significantly compared to CC masters.
In general I don't take player's statements for granted but in this case there's also no need to overanalyze it. It's Nadal on clay, chances are you're gonna lose no matter what, goes doubly so for the FO where Nadal always raises his level significantly compared to CC masters.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
Djokovic is lying in the professional sense/for professional reasons, so he can't be taken seriously.
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