2023 Roland Garros R32: [3] Novak Djokovic vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina [29]

[The Guru]

I'd maybe throw Tiger Woods in there for consideration.

Not a huge golf guy but wasn't Tiger mostly a front runner. Nothing wrong with that maintaining leads takes another type of mental strength and is very very important but it's not what we typically think of as clutch.

 

[El_Yotamo]

The more I watch, the more I understand that tennis IQ is no longer a thing

 

[I Am Finnish]

What did Egg say?

 

[Razer]

Definitely goes Nole, Pete, Rafa and then Roger.

Roger and Clutch don't go hand in hand, he won 20 slams on pure talent and beating his rivals flat out, not on clutch, at least 19 of those 20 slams he won like that. He is like Superman, he beats men because he is better, you take away his powers and he will lose to lesser men.

 

[GabeT]

Pete used to be pretty clutch. I would say more than Fed and Nadal.
However, I think Novak took it to the next level. He is tireless and NEVER misses on big moments.

Wasn’t there some fool thread recently about how Novak “chokes”? Man, this place never disappoints

 

[The Guru]

Come on what is this. It's free for anyone to use if it "works". If djokovic would think putting a stick up his bottom would work then is that also unfair? Technically then the sport drinks they are drinking to help their energy levels are also performance enhancing, but everyone is using it.

Stop this ridiculousness.

I mean steroids are also available to everyone but we still ban them. If this nanotechnology supposedly gives him increased muscle mass then what's the difference? People should ask him about it. It could be fine but maybe not. Obviously the device doesnt work but thats not the point.

 

[Hitman]

Wasn’t there some fool thread recently about how Novak “chokes”? Man, this place never disappoints

Was there? LOL

No one in history has been more clutch than him.

 

[Spin Diesel]

Meanwhile Musetti taking the first 6-1

 

[Rattie]

Wasn’t there some fool thread recently about how Novak “chokes”? Man, this place never disappoints

Can’t stand Djokovic but he is not a choker. In fact he’s the opposite!

 

[nolefam_2024]

Can’t stand Djokovic but he is not a choker. In fact he’s the opposite!

Thank you. Unbiased fandom is amazing.

 

[Kralingen]

I mean steroids are also available to everyone but we still ban them. If this nanotechnology supposedly gives him increased muscle mass then what's the difference? People should ask him about it. It could be fine but maybe not. Obviously the device doesnt work but thats not the point.

I think the subtext here is that it needs to have some scientific proof to work, something testable and reproducible.

To quote @Sport, these nanotechnology light rays are untestable and unfalsifiable, therefore irrelevant.

 

[GabeT]

Can’t stand Djokovic but he is not a choker. In fact he’s the opposite!

I don’t think any of the Big 3 can be ever called a choker. But if you have to pick one among the ATGs as the most clutch surely Novak is at the or close to the top (with Nadal or Pete)

 

[Hitman]

Can’t stand Djokovic but he is not a choker. In fact he’s the opposite!

One of the best Djokovic haters on these boards.

 

[ibbi]

Pete used to be pretty clutch. I would say more than Fed and Nadal.
However, I think Novak took it to the next level. He is tireless and NEVER misses on big moments.

Comparing the 'clutchness' of someone playing high-percentage tennis to low-percentage tennis is absolutely ridiculous. He also has missed on big moments numerous times throughout his career, people just choose to forget them to create a narrative based on a bunch of moments they prefer to remember.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Offtopic, Sinner is out? By who?

 

[UnforcedTerror]

Djokovic is so sick of the French ********

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Fokina holds. Overheadovic appears haha.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Djoko laughing to himself! He’s got banter going with the french crowd!

 

[Bubcay]

Bloody Djokosmash™

 

[nolefam_2024]

Want to see Djokovic tiebreak percentage after his comeback in 2018 Wimbledon. Would be really insane. I don't think world has ever seen such tiebreak dominance.

 

[kayapit]

Joker's had an interesting mental/emotional match. Lots of talking,... to his box, the sky, the fans; slipping and skidding around, looooong pre-service bounces and errant tosses, Tarzan celebration. Hopefully he can get all of this out of his system and move on to steady and determined for the remainder of the tournament.

 

[tudwell]

Hell I’m not even sure if Jordan compares to djokovic in the mental toughest department. It’s close. Djoker may be the most mentally clutch player in all of sports history

I feel like there's a sort of revisionism surrounding Djokovic. Novak routinely came up short with flat mental performances in big matches in the first half of his career. Since his reawakening in mid-2018 he has indeed been one of the most insanely clutch tennis players ever.

 

[Cortana]

Joker's had an interesting mental/emotional match. Lots of talking,... to his box, the sky, the fans; slipping and skidding around, looooong pre-service bounces and errant tosses, Tarzan celebration. Hopefully he can get all of this out of his system and move on to steady and determined for the remainder.

Isn‘t this exactly how he wins slams?

 

[Hitman]

Earth's Citizens, what are your thoughts on Djokovic's level after watching this match so far?

 

[I Am Finnish]

Who is Egg's next opponent?

 

[Jonesy]

We need more of crazy Nole, is so fun to watch.

 

[Tennis Fan States63]

Not a huge golf guy but wasn't Tiger mostly a front runner. Nothing wrong with that maintaining leads takes another type of mental strength and is very very important but it's not what we typically think of as clutch.

I see your point. He was definitely nearly impossible with the lead in his prime - however, the times he absolutely had to make a putt or shot, he came through.....twice in majors to force a play-off, President's Cup in South Africa. His final round at the '19 Masters was clutch too, but that is his only major championship victory where he had to come back in the final round.

I was thinking also along the lines of how he approached the game and his craft - and now with just trying to be able to compete - to me, much like Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic in some ways.

 

[Rattie]

One of the best Djokovic haters on these boards.

I’m not sure how to respond to that lol

 

[SonicNirvana]

Earth's Citizens, what are your thoughts on Djokovic's level after watching this match so far?

good enough to beat the field

 

[Kralingen]

I feel like there's a sort of revisionism surrounding Djokovic. Novak routinely came up short with flat mental performances in big matches in the first half of his career. Since his reawakening in mid-2018 he has indeed been one of the most insanely clutch tennis players ever.

Similarly, there is some revisionism around Jordan’s unmatched mental strength for that matter.

 

[Tennis Fan States63]

Who is Egg's next opponent?

winner of Hurkacz/Varillas

 

[Hitman]

I’m not sure how to respond to that lol

You just did.

 

[SonicNirvana]

I see your point. He was definitely nearly impossible with the lead in his prime - however, the times he absolutely had to make a putt or shot, he came through.....twice in majors to force a play-off, President's Cup in South Africa. His final round at the '19 Masters was clutch too, but that is his only major championship victory where he had to come back in the final round.

I was thinking also along the lines of how he approached the game and his craft - and now with just trying to be able to compete - to me, much like Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic in some ways.

2008 US Open too

 

[DogInSpace]

I bet on winning horses.
Novak will dismantle Carlos. You are forgetting Novak at slams is a different beast.
That Madrid match vs Carlos has ZERO bearing in slams. Novak's focus in slams is otherworldly.

Carlos lose to Zverev and Sinner easily in slams. Novak will BURN him. At RG, it takes a peak Nadal to beat him.

Really the only competition to Novak in RG would have been Nadal. Once Rafa was out, it's a mere formality. You can do all the handwringing, but the outcome is Never in doubt.
It's simple - Novak is an ATG and no one else in the RG 2023 field is.

Do you really think that 2020 and 2022 was peak Nadal? When tour returned after lockdown Nadal had like 50% of his speed lol.

 

[RS]

@The Guru
@Hitman

Thoughts on this match?

 

[ChrisRF]

Comparing the 'clutchness' of someone playing high-percentage tennis to low-percentage tennis is absolutely ridiculous. He also has missed on big moments numerous times throughout his career, people just choose to forget them to create a narrative based on a bunch of moments they prefer to remember.

Fully agree. Sampras looked "clutch" when the conditions suited him (or better said on surfaces where he could get out of trouble with his serve). Everything else was rather the opposite, and he had big troubles to keep the ball in play from the baseline in close situations. Also the last service game against Federer in 2001 could easily be called a choke.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Double MP for earths mightiest!

 

[Tennis Fan States63]

2008 US Open too

Yeah - that was one of the two, and the 2000 PGA....

 

[Hitman]

Earth's Mightiest Warrior wins a big scrap of a match. Not the best level, but mentally solid.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Djokovic through to the 4th round! Overall novak will be happy with that!

 

[kayapit]

Isn‘t this exactly how he wins slams?

I think he stays largely composed in big matches. Every so often he seems discombobulated and edgy. This version is a surprise after Wednesday's showing.

 

[RF-18]

I mean steroids are also available to everyone but we still ban them. If this nanotechnology supposedly gives him increased muscle mass then what's the difference? People should ask him about it. It could be fine but maybe not. Obviously the device doesnt work but thats not the point.

How are steroids wich is a banned substance and scientifically studied from top to bottom the same thing as this piece of device. It doesn't matter what Djokovic thinks helps him, he can believe whatever he wants it doesn't make it unfair.

There are lots of things in sports that could be classified as performance enhancing wich everyone is using, but they are legal and have been for a very long time.

 

[Rosstour]

Roger and Clutch don't go hand in hand, he won 20 slams on pure talent and beating his rivals flat out, not on clutch, at least 19 of those 20 slams he won like that. He is like Superman, he beats men because he is better, you take away his powers and he will lose to lesser men.

I think Fed won more matches from MP down than either of the other two, no?

 

[nolefam_2024]

Earth's Citizens, what are your thoughts on Djokovic's level after watching this match so far?

46% second set pts won vs ADF. Novak is looking very very good for winning the entire tournament.

 

[Bubcay]

Well, that was a longer match than I expected... Glad it is over...

 

[Hitman]

Djokovic through to the 4th round! Overall novak will be happy with that!

He has officially entered the tournament. Now he has match play in the bag, and also been tested in both day and night conditions.

 

[Tennis Fan States63]

3:40 for straight sets......wow.

Fokina brought a fight, but it wasn't enough.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Technically Djokovic is yet to drop a set. But this match was 3.5 hrs.

 

[GabeT]

So for all the drama and back and forth this ended as a straight set win

 

[Hitman]

@The Guru
@Hitman

Thoughts on this match?

A big scrap. It wasn't his best from a pure tennis level, but wind was just messing things up and Fokina played so well for the first two sets. Mentally though, clutch AF during the tie breaks.