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Bionic Poster
I recall there were frequent rain delays at Key Biscayne too. Miami is a hot but very humid city. Plenty of moisture in the air.
2019 ATP Miami 4R - [1] Novak Djokovic vs. [22] Roberto Bautista Agut
- Thread starter Enceladus
- Start date
I recall there were frequent rain delays at Key Biscayne too. Miami is a hot but very humid city. Plenty of moisture in the air.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
Since last completing the Sunshine Double in 2016, Djokovic has failed to reach the quarter-finals at either event. He commented afterwards that he needs to prepare better for these 2 tournaments in the future. I presume he means by again playing at least 1 of the hardcourt 500 events in between the AO and IW eg. Dubai.
NaomiKonjuhPotapova
G.O.A.T.
Did Djokovic at least a little bit upset?
GabeT
G.O.A.T.
I tend to agree with a lot of what you said. But what gives me second thoughts is that I was thinking along those lines in early January, where after a string of losses it seemed Nole was losing interest in tennis. And then AO came along. It surprised me, not so much winning but the way he won, specially the last two matches. He was VERY dialed in.What can I say? I want to be the new @Checkmate.
Really though, I only said it because it's been on my mind for a while when I watch Djokovic lately. I'd obviously like some new blood to step up and deny Djoker the slam record while winning slams of their own, but if he's good enough to take it then all I can say is congrats to him. Of course, I'll cheer for Fed until he retires, but new winners are welcome. And what I'd really like to see, especially in the case of Djokovic and Nadal (because I don't know how much longer Federer will play) is if/when we finally do get a new slam champion and they get on a roll, whether Djokovic or Nadal can stop them after they have that confidence.
I think the next big test will be clay, if he really wants to go for RG he will need to show some of that AO spirit in the clay masters.
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GabeT
G.O.A.T.
Not to me. Looked almost relieved. Weird
mightyrick
Legend
Djokovic just doesn't seem to be able to withstand opponents who bring consistent intensity anymore. Djokovic was razor sharp in that first set -- and it's not like Bautista-Agut wasn't fighting on every point. But after that first set, it just seemed like Bautista-Agut stayed consistent and kept his level... and Djokovic just dropped his level.
RBA got to use his inside forehand (both in and out) a LOT in this match. That is brutal for any opponent. Against RBA, you're never supposed to hit slow balls to his backhand side. He always runs around and starts dictating. He was crushing Djokovic so much with that inside forehand. Djokovic needs to do some work mentally. Otherwise, that clay season is going to be a major grind. If he thinks Miami is bad... wait until Rome.
RBA got to use his inside forehand (both in and out) a LOT in this match. That is brutal for any opponent. Against RBA, you're never supposed to hit slow balls to his backhand side. He always runs around and starts dictating. He was crushing Djokovic so much with that inside forehand. Djokovic needs to do some work mentally. Otherwise, that clay season is going to be a major grind. If he thinks Miami is bad... wait until Rome.
Harry_Wild
G.O.A.T.
Djokovic #1 is out of Miami!
When you know you can beat someone because you done it before, it makes things just that much easier as Agut is proof of that! No scary cat effect!
When you know you can beat someone because you done it before, it makes things just that much easier as Agut is proof of that! No scary cat effect!
vernonbc
Legend
Whoa there Bessie! Djoker has looked uninterested for the last six months except for the AO and he didn't look sharp early in the tournie there either. Lost a set to Shapovalov, lost a set to Medvedev, got an early retirement from Nishikori, played an exhausted Pouille and then got lucky with Nadal in the final. Rafa had been playing much better than Djoko up to then, hadn't lost a set, but after five months of not playing on tour he simply ran out of gas and put up no resistance. Big disappointment for Rafa but sh*t happens.
Rafa has also played very well since then too until the knee injury in IW. He sure has looked a lot sharper than Djokovic. And you demented Djoko fans think Rafa's going to roll over for Djoker on clay????? Do you guys know what Rafa's record on clay is? 415-36 Over 450 matches played on clay and he's lost 36. 36!!! Only player in history that has won more than 400 matches on both clay and hard.
You're really stretching with your excuses for Dokovic's poor play these last six months. He looks like he did a couple of years ago when his butt was dragging and he was losing to everybody, in all kinds of tournaments. Best of threes don't get him excited anymore? LOL That's one of the best ones I've heard lately.
Big_Dangerous
Talk Tennis Guru
Though I'd hardly consider IW and Miami to be minor tournaments. Not slams, but they're the next closest thing. Hard to believe a guy who thrashed Rafa in that final in Melbourne a couple months ago, has looked very pedestrian the last couple of weeks.
joekapa
Legend
@Hitman give us your take on the lackluster performance of Novak in the Sunshine Double.
Did he just want to get out of there ? Was it a mere training camp for him ? Or is something seriously wrong. Does he have his sights on bigger battles ?
Unfortunately I have not seen any of his recent matches.
Did he just want to get out of there ? Was it a mere training camp for him ? Or is something seriously wrong. Does he have his sights on bigger battles ?
Unfortunately I have not seen any of his recent matches.
stringertom
Bionic Poster
Notice the quotation marks around “minors”?
Joe Kovic’s fall to Earth immediately followed taking in a LAker game featuring a 30-something superstar who’s falling to Earth as well.
Tshooter
G.O.A.T.
FEDR has always been number one and he always will be number one. Let’s just get that out of the way right now...
Nadal_Django
Legend
I can swear you made the similar post just after Toronto and WTF last year. Probably liked by the same people as well.
Some people will never learn, i guess.
Tennisgods
Hall of Fame
Funny thing is, he did not look lacklustre in that first set. Played well. Weird match.
Tennisgods
Hall of Fame
In all the Novak post mortem stuff, your point about RBA is easy to lose sight of. He was great. Very consistent with his ground strokes.
Enga
Hall of Fame
I feel like the way Djokovic has been playing at this tournament, it didnt require anything special to beat him. He was playing like a zombie against Delbonis, always returning the ball straight to his opponent, and always looping the ball in such a way that it would sit up in the perfect spot for someone to hit a winner. Then in the next set he would "wake up" and start placing the ball and actually putting pace on it. If it were my guess, man needs some protein again. Either that, or he's sandbagging hard.
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
May be Djokovic doesn't give his 100% in minor tournaments and is saving himself for big ones? 3 slams in a row
Sartorius
Hall of Fame
You were onto something there at the begining (even though saying he lost sets to Shapo and Medvedev does not mean anything by itself), then gone off the rails in spectacular fashion. You make it sound like the AO final was all about Nadal, but it had everything to do with how Djokovic played. A predictable bias with the familiar "he ran out of gas" bit I guess (and apparently a stepping stone for the irrelevant "btw Nadal's awesome on clay" bit), but still a rather twisted one to completely ignore what Djokovic did in that match. It was rather obvious to see Djokovic switched gears for that final, and looked near-flawless for 3 whole sets. This is highly indicative that Djokovic can still play and summon that level if things are in place for him.
Post-match Djokovic said he was a tad uninterested in the last weeks because of off court stuff, but seems rather safe to argue this has been a pattern with him, which also doesn't hide the notion that his average level of tennis looks indeed quite average - he stops forcing plays almost all together, and becomes largely dependent on what his opponent is going to do.
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Keystoner
Semi-Pro
How is this not the definition of tanking—someone giving a half-assed effort, not that I'm saying Djokovic did that?
Keystoner
Semi-Pro
He's not criticizing Djokovic. He's criticizing people for being Djokovic apologists instead of giving credit to the people who beat him. Is that you?
Meles
Bionic Poster
Nadal tired after not losing set in tournament and with new more efficient game, I think not! Choke job like first set with Thiem at US Open. Screwed pooch against Kyrgios in Acapulco tb blowing 3 match points. New aggressive game isn’t helping on this front either. Djoko kept him on ice for whole Auz final.
TennisFan3
Talk Tennis Guru
Good post. My opinion is that the tennis is in a sorry state. The talent depth of the field has shrunk considerably. The mental tenacity and tennis skills of the young gen is deplorable.
As great as the big 3 are, they have been helped by a very poor next gen. It's a natural law of nature that the young beat the old and take their place. This has been turned upside down, and the big 3 are made to look better than they actually are.
Any other era, and Fedalovic would have retired.
I'd love to see the next big champion elevate his game and assume the mantle from Djokovic. Unfortunately I don't see anyone on the horizon. I think the big 3 will continue winning titles until they are too bored or too old and crippled unfortunately.
Big_Dangerous
Talk Tennis Guru
May be Djokovic doesn't give his 100% in minor tournaments and is saving himself for big ones? 3 slams in a row
You actually consider IW and Miami to be minor tournaments?
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
Compared to slam , yes? Djokovic didn't do that good in masters recently and won last 3 slams. Well Roger and Rafa can have all mas 1000s , they need it badly it seems.You actually consider IW and Miami to be minor tournaments?
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Djokovic has no obligation to play any mandatory tournaments anymore so if his heart is only in slams it’s up to him not to waste his time playing Masters.May be Djokovic doesn't give his 100% in minor tournaments and is saving himself for big ones? 3 slams in a row
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Rafa already has the most M1000s and Joe Kovic trails Fedal in slams.
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
Right but you're too naive if you think he is gonna give his 100% at masters at this age. He's saving himself for the majors and so far it's working pretty well for him, no?
btw, how are you ? I felt bad for Nadal loss at Ao, I wanted that match to be competitive .
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
That's why he's focussing on slams now, no?
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Right but you're too naive if you think he is gonna give his 100% at masters at this age. He's saving himself for the majors and so far it's working pretty well for him, no?
Maybe it's playing to an empty stadium that deflated him.
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes, it was such a shame that Rafa was gassed in the final having not played for the previous 5 months. His fitness let him down so he more or less tanked because he said he wasn't fit enough for a long haul 5+ hours.
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
Rafa was not gassed, he had 2 days rest and he didn't even lose a set before final. It was more of Rafa not showing up rather than him being gassed.
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
OK he wasn't gassed but Rafa didn't think his body could physically cope with a 5 setter against Djokovic.
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
What 5 setter? Did you even see the match ? Nadal was totally off and was struggling to even return Djokovic second serve. He won just 1 point off Djokovic in 1st set. No excuse, Nadal didn't show up and Djokovic was brilliant.
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
It was a potential 5 setter.
Krish872007
Talk Tennis Guru
"Potential 5 setter"
That's defo one I can use whenever I step on court
That's defo one I can use whenever I step on court
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
Lmao , seriously you take fangirlism to next level.
Big_Dangerous
Talk Tennis Guru
Right but you're too naive if you think he is gonna give his 100% at masters at this age. He's saving himself for the majors and so far it's working pretty well for him, no?
Roger still does, and he's 5+ years older than Novak.
What's that say about Djoker?
mightyrick
Legend
If you think these guys don't take Masters tournaments seriously, you are completely deluded or just doing a bad troll job.
Masters are essential tools used by the top guys so they can get a good number of matches and be in a position to peak for the slams.
Getting booted early in major tournaments is a terrible way to prepare for any slam.
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
You're completely deluded if you think at this age Nole is gonna take masters seriously especially when he has won every single ms and he is doing well in slams. Why don't you take Nole record in bo3 and slams in since Wimbledon.
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Djokovic with a not bad face
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
Roger does cause his slam days are almost done, why do you think Nole should burn himself giving his all in every tournament at this stage when he is dominating slams ?
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Intense here
Tshooter
G.O.A.T.
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Tshooter
G.O.A.T.
Intense here
Miami Open is Finnish.
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Nole must be chasing Rafa's record triple undecima.
Noletheking
Hall of Fame
Hes chasing Fed's record
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