jl809
Legend
Djokovic and Nadal have played each other 18 times in "best of 5 set" tennis matches, all at slams. The H2H right now is 11-7 to Nadal: 8-2 to Nadal on clay, 3-2 to Djokovic on hard court and 2-1 to Djokovic on grass.
In this time, neither player has ever come back from 2 sets to 0 or 2 sets to 1 down. The closest we have seen is Nadal serving at 4-2, 30-15 in the 5th set of the 2012 AO final, and Djokovic serving at 4-3, 40-40 at the French Open in 2013. Nadal also had 5 break points in the 5th set of the Wimbledon 2018 SF, but Djokovic saved them all.
In 2012 and 2013, the winner arguably should have closed the match in 4 sets. Djokovic had 3 BPs at 4-4 in the 4th set in 2012 and Nadal served for the match in the 4th set in 2013.
Based on all this, when Djokodal play each other, the matches being 5 sets is irrelevant. They absolutely shouldn't pace themselves for the "rhythms of a 5 set match" or whatever pundits call it. All their matches are Bo3s in disguise and they should prioritise fast starts and GOATing in the 3rd set if tied at 1-1. It seems like Nadal knows this now, but Djokovic went missing in the 3rd set of the '22 RG QF and lost the match at that point.
In this time, neither player has ever come back from 2 sets to 0 or 2 sets to 1 down. The closest we have seen is Nadal serving at 4-2, 30-15 in the 5th set of the 2012 AO final, and Djokovic serving at 4-3, 40-40 at the French Open in 2013. Nadal also had 5 break points in the 5th set of the Wimbledon 2018 SF, but Djokovic saved them all.
In 2012 and 2013, the winner arguably should have closed the match in 4 sets. Djokovic had 3 BPs at 4-4 in the 4th set in 2012 and Nadal served for the match in the 4th set in 2013.
Based on all this, when Djokodal play each other, the matches being 5 sets is irrelevant. They absolutely shouldn't pace themselves for the "rhythms of a 5 set match" or whatever pundits call it. All their matches are Bo3s in disguise and they should prioritise fast starts and GOATing in the 3rd set if tied at 1-1. It seems like Nadal knows this now, but Djokovic went missing in the 3rd set of the '22 RG QF and lost the match at that point.