3 Djokodal Battles - 3 Epic Sets 3 Different Slams 3 Different Surfaces all in 3rd sets

[mehdimike]

2011 USO 3rd set
2018 Wimb 3rd set
2021 RG 3rd set

Which one was the best (quality-wise)?!

I'll go with
2018>>>2021>=2011

 

[MichaelNadal]

2021 is easily last lol

 

[Nadal_Django]

2021 > 2018 > 2011

 

[Hitman]

2011 is top, that level 10 baseline play from both. One of those very very rare occasions when both were red lining from start to finish of a set from back of the court.

 

[Tennis_Freak99]

Quality of play: 2011>2018>2021

Drama: 2021 ~ 2018 > 2011

 

[Backspin1183]

2021 was very long but it was clear that they neither was playing peak tennis. They did everything they could to win the set but the quality was not high. 2018 was great but 2011 3rd set probably was the best baseline tennis of all time.

 

[Hitman]

2021 was very long but it was clear that they neither was playing peak tennis. They did everything they could to win the set but the quality was not high. 2018 was great but 2011 3rd set probably was the best baseline tennis of all time.

It doesn't get much better than this from the baseline. Level 10 from both.

 

[Backspin1183]

It doesn't get much better than this from the baseline. Level 10 from both.

2011 was Djokovic's highest level imho. 2011 Nadal is highly underrated. In any other season he wins 2 Slams and year end #1.

 

[Hitman]

2011 was Djokovic's highest level imho. 2011 Nadal is highly underrated. In any other season he wins 2 Slams and year end #1.

Yep. Agree. And this 3rd set was a joke at times.

 

[Backspin1183]

The way Nadal dismantled Federer in the 2011 Miami semi final, nobody else but peak Djokovic could have stopped him in the final.

 

[Hitman]

The way Nadal dismantled Federer in the 2011 Miami semi final, nobody else but peak Djokovic could have stopped him in the final.

Actually, Federer was suffering hangover and had hardly slept. He was out until 5 in the morning in South Beach, partying and celebrating Mirka's birthday. Next day he didn't even bother to practice, just hit serves for 15 min. Nadal punished him for it, because he felt a little disrespected that Federer did not take the match and him serious enough.

 

[Backspin1183]

Actually, Federer was suffering hangover and had hardly slept. He was out until 5 in the morning in South Beach, partying and celebrating Mirka's birthday. Next day he didn't even bother to practice, just hit serves for 15 min. Nadal punished him for it, because he felt a little disrespected that Federer did not take the match and him serious enough.

Served him right then lol

 

[weakera]

2018 was the most aesthetic match ever played.

 

[NatF]

2021. Djokovic beat a guy that didn't miss.

 

[Hitman]

2021. Djokovic beat a guy that didn't miss.

Oh yeah. There is that.

 

[weakera]

2021. Djokovic beat a guy that didn't miss.

Oh yeah. There is that.

...other than 55 unforced errors and 8 doubles lol? Quite a far cry from winning 30 out of the last 34 points in the prior round.

 

[Vagary]

2011 was marvelous, incredibly high level of play and fierce competing for every ball. 2021 was excellent while watching but afterwards it became clear it was only a brief callback to what they once were and how well they could play regularly.

 

[SonnyT]

All 3 were marvelous. But 2011 was like Hagler-Leonard going at it, just insane. That match and '12 AO were maybe the 2 most brutal tennis matches ever; that just wasn't Federer's kind of game.

'18 was great, but grass bounces are low, so they couldn't trade body blows, like they could on clay and HC.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

2011 overrated beyond measure as usual.

 

[MichaelNadal]

2011 overrated beyond measure as usual.

 

[ND-13]

2018 was the best, tactical tennis
2011 was the usual Djoko-Nadal on steroids, physical battle
2021 was two washed up players seeing who will blink first - a poor third but full of drama for the prize

 

[aldeayeah]

The lack of 2013 RG fifth set is disturbing

That was truly uncharted territory

2008 RG also had absurd stuff

 

[Hitman]

The lack of 2013 RG fifth set is disturbing

That was truly uncharted territory

2008 RG also had absurd stuff

The thread is about the key set 3.

That rules out the fifth set of their matches.

 

[mike danny]

Besides the 3rd set, overrated match.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Besides the 3rd set, overrated match.

Oh most definitely. But the thread is talking about the 3rd. Nadal fell apart like a Jenga tower in the 4th set. A mess.

 

[mike danny]

Oh most definitely. But the thread is talking about the 3rd. Nadal fell apart like a Jenga tower in the 4th set. A mess.

The 3rd set was super fun, but the other sets weren't that good. Not cool watching Nadal constantly fall apart like he's a Next Genner.

 

[Tiki-Taka]

All three were amazing. But I will lean towards 2011 being the best of them all.

 

[WildRevolver]

2021 was epic but in a weird way with constant breaks of serve. That 2011 third set was a prelude to the entire AO 12 match. Damn these two were ulcers for the respective fan bases.

 

[Tennisfan339]

2011>2021>2018

 

[Third Serve]

2011 was a genuinely great set of tennis but marred just a little bit by poor serving

2018 wasn't as physical as 2011 but it was packed with great shotmaking and cool rallies; I have it slightly below 2011

2021 was clearly worse than the other two by a sizable margin; all it has going for it is pure drama, and that drama was mostly generated by screw-ups like Djokovic faltering while serving for the set anyway

It's 2011 > 2018 >> 2021 for me

 

[lud]

2011 best quality
2018 Djokovic servebooting
2021 good quality, both choked many times,, both pretty nervous so less quality

 

[Deleted member 771911]

That's a lot of numbers.

 

[Madinolf]

2021 was very long but it was clear that they neither was playing peak tennis. [/B]They did everything they could to win the set but the quality was not high. 2018 was great but 2011 3rd set probably was the best baseline tennis of all time.

Djokovic said it was his best match ever at Roland Garros LOL

 

[Sudacafan]

2011 USO 3rd set
2018 Wimb 3rd set
2021 RG 3rd set

Which one was the best (quality-wise)?!

I'll go with
2018>>>2021>=2011

Which match in each Slam?

 

[Fedeonic]

I don't remember quite well that Wimbledon 2018 3rd set to be honest. But if I remembered it, 2011 will still take my top place, shame that Nole didn't close out in 3 that match.

Actually, Federer was suffering hangover and had hardly slept. He was out until 5 in the morning in South Beach, partying and celebrating Mirka's birthday. Next day he didn't even bother to practice, just hit serves for 15 min. Nadal punished him for it, because he felt a little disrespected that Federer did not take the match and him serious enough.

More than 10 years trying to find an answer to that s. performance from Roger and I finally have it, any links for that?

 

[Hitman]

I don't remember quite well that Wimbledon 2018 3rd set to be honest. But if I remembered it, 2011 will still take my top place, shame that Nole didn't close out in 3 that match.

More than 10 years trying to find an answer to that s. performance from Roger and I finally have it, any links for that?

I don't have any links, but I remember the incident very clearly. Mirka's birthday is April 1st, and they all really wanted to go all out and celebrate. They had suggested to Federer to do after the tournament for him was over, but he was insistent that they go all out on her actual birthday. This was also the day I believe of the semi final which was meant to happen later in the day. They partied very hard, and the next day news got back to Nadal that Federer wasn't taking the match seriously at all, was hungover, and not even practising or anything, I remember hearing Nadal was annoyed by this that Federer's throwaway attitude was that he was just going to show up, hence the result we got.