Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-2 in the Doha final, 2016 on hard court
It was Djokovic's first title at the event and 6th title in a row (US Open, Beijing, Shanghai, Paris, Year End Championship) stretching back to the previous season and he would add the upcoming Australian Open. It was also his 5th successive win over Nadal and he would go onto add 2 more. Nadal had previously won the title in 2014
Djokovic won 57 points, Nadal 30
Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (33/44) 75%
- 1st serve points won (26/33) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (8/11) 73%
- Aces 4
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (10/44) 23%
Nadal....
- 1st serve percentage (27/43) 63%
- 1st serve points won (13/27) 48%
- 2nd serve points won (7/16) 44%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (6/43) 14%
Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 58%
- to Body 2%
Nadal served...
- to FH 29%
- to BH 52%
- to Body 19%
Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 36 (17 FH, 19 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 1 return-approach
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 3 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 2 Forced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (36/42) 86%
Nadal made...
- 33 (12 FH, 21 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 6 Errors, all forced...
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (33/43) 76%
Break Points
Djokovic 4/7 (4 games)
Nadal 0/1
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 25 (18 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 2 OH)
Nadal 6 (1 FH, 1 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Djokovic's FHs - 4 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 6 dtl (2 passes, 1 return), 6 inside-out and 1 inside-in
- BHs - 2 cc and 1 dtl
- the FHV was a second volley off a serve-volley point
Nadal's FHs - 1 dtl at net
- BH - 1 dtl pass
- 1 FHV can reasonably be called an OH and the other was a swinging dtl shot
- the BHV was a drop
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 17
- 11 Unforced (6 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV)
- 6 Forced (5 FH, 1 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.2
Nadal 21
- 9 Unforced (7 FH, 1 BH, 1 BHV)
- 12 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.6
(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Djokovic was
- 9/11 (82%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
--
- 0/1 return-approaching
Nadal was...
- 6/11 (55%) at net
Match Report
Almost perfect from Novak Djokovic
Nadal doesn't play badly. Or even flat. Hits consistently with reasonable force and depth - nothing special, but nothing terrible either. Nothing weak enough to invite attacks
But he's... what's the word? Some combination of blasted, whisked away, beaten down
Play
To start with, Djoko serves at 75%. First serves are strong of power, and moderately widely placed. Not line-licking, but not allowing stand-and-deliver returning either. At 75% in, that's a handful and probably match winning even with equality in play. Second serve is strong too, not at all easy to attack (not that Nadal tries)… generally, Djoko's second serve can look attackable but not here
On return... he just doesn't miss a ball. Just 3 errors (Nadal also has 3 aces). Nadal also doesn't lick lines with his serve, but does serve powerfully. First serve is about the same level as Djoko's - and he serves at a healthy 63%
Doesn't matter... everything comes back firmly. Even most wide serves and good body serves. Brilliant for most anybody else, not abnormal for Djokovic
Djoko's not at his very best as far as sending returns back to baseline (i.e. initiative snatching stuff), but most returns neutralize server's advantage. And he returns at 86% rate. That's a handful and probably match winning even with equality in play
Play is not equal
a) Starting point with initiative after first serve - Djoko capitilizes and frequently finishes with third ball FH winner. Nadal's return is good enough that Djoko's initiative isn't an overwhelming one... these are very good third ball shots. Or he pushes Nadal back or moves him to the side before finishing with point ending force
b) Starting from neutral position after Nadal return - players exchange solid groundies, Djoko's apt to squeeze out an advantage via moderately up from normal power and depth groundies… and then finishes as he does with initiative
c) Nadal's service points aren't much different. Return neutralizes Nadal's advantage most of the time, then play follows as in b)
d) When Nadal has initiative (which is rare), Djoko hustles defensively... not a big part of play though. On the run, Djoko hits strongly too
Nadal's movements are down by his standard, but normal for all but the fastest movers norm. Not sure Nadal's footspeed in 2016 would qualify him for being exceptionally fast anyway
FH is Djokovic's killer weapon in the match. He has 18 winners - which is more than all of his errors combined and just 3 short of all of Nadal's - and more than all his other winners, all of Nadal's winners and both players UEs and FEs individually
Note the varied distribution of the winners too - 4 cc, 6 dtl, 6 inside-out and 2 inside-in (1 is a combo of inside-in and cc). The points themselves are of all types too - 1-2 combos, point construction, shots out of neutral position... the whole nine yards
The strength of his BH is in redirecting balls. Just sends the ball wherever he wants - powerfully cc or sending Nadal running with dtl. Forces a lot of errors with both shots (Nadal has 12 FEs, Djoko 6)
He comes to net a fair bit (by his standard), 11 approaches in all, winning 9. There's a carefully controlled FH1/2V winner. Late in the match, probably drunk on how well he's playing, he serve-volleys to end a game and is challenged by a decent and return followed by a strong, wide pass. Makes a good FHV winner against it
Just one case of being too drunk. He hits a powerful BH cc return - and hesitatingly follows it to net. He's behind the service line when the ball comes back and misses a BHV to open court. No need to come in behind returns... was doing just fine doing what he was doing
Alternatives for Nadal?
Nadal looks to - and largely does - plays steady and consistent. Just 9 UEs (2 less than the significantly more aggressive Djoko), and just 1 of those a BH (and that was a rare, defensive UE)
Playing steady and consistent can be good strategy against an error prone, attacking opponent. His problem is that Djoko isn't making errors
Nadal doesn't look to unduly play FH cc's, his usual favourite. I imagine he'd learnt it wasn't particularly effective against Djokovic, whose BH cc can at least hold even with it and who can redirect ball dtl without trouble
In this match though, it'd probably have at least cushioned the beating he took (assuming Djokovic wouldn't be hitting 18 BH winners in 15 games). Djoko actually gets better of cc rallies starting from Nadal FH due to better movement (he also hits some extra angled balls)… but nothing to the extent of how things were going of the other wing
Nadal looks to play FH dtl quite often. Usually not a bad move against Djokovic. This day, its just whacked or whisked away FH cc - often with point ending force
11 net approaches is a lot for Nadal. Following common sense, if your losing from the baseline, you have to come to net. His missing an easy BHV brings home how infrequently he misses such balls in general
---
Nadal has his sole break point in opening game of match. That's erased with a FH inside-out/FH cc 1-2 ending with a winner, followed by a third ball FH inside-out winner
Net play, drop shots and a error forcing FH cc give Djoko the break next game
He adds a second in an excellently played game - the last 3 points of which end with winners - FH dtl, FH inside-in (set up by another FH dtl) and BH cc (after being on defensive most of the point)
Nadal tries slicing to start second set. Doesn't work. Djoko deals with and ends a point with FH inside-out winner. Next point, he slices back and point ends with Nadal BH error. Djoko breaks to move ahead 2-0
Djoko gains second break middle of the set in an exhibition of BH direction changing shots. There's an anticipated FH dtl passing winner against an at net Nadal's FH inside-out, a BH dtl winner and finally, overpowering Nadal from back to come in and finish with a smash
Djoko finishes with a flourish too. Serving for the match, he moves to 40-0 with 3 FH winners - cc, inside-out and dtl - the 1st and 3rd being third balls, the 2nd a wrong footing shot, before finishing with an unreturned serve
Summing up, near flawless stuff from Djokovic - strong serving, strong returning, killing FHs, varied BHs and even net approaches. Not bad from Nadal, but you barely notice him in this match
It was Djokovic's first title at the event and 6th title in a row (US Open, Beijing, Shanghai, Paris, Year End Championship) stretching back to the previous season and he would add the upcoming Australian Open. It was also his 5th successive win over Nadal and he would go onto add 2 more. Nadal had previously won the title in 2014
Djokovic won 57 points, Nadal 30
Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (33/44) 75%
- 1st serve points won (26/33) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (8/11) 73%
- Aces 4
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (10/44) 23%
Nadal....
- 1st serve percentage (27/43) 63%
- 1st serve points won (13/27) 48%
- 2nd serve points won (7/16) 44%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (6/43) 14%
Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 58%
- to Body 2%
Nadal served...
- to FH 29%
- to BH 52%
- to Body 19%
Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 36 (17 FH, 19 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 1 return-approach
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 3 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 2 Forced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (36/42) 86%
Nadal made...
- 33 (12 FH, 21 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 6 Errors, all forced...
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (33/43) 76%
Break Points
Djokovic 4/7 (4 games)
Nadal 0/1
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 25 (18 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 2 OH)
Nadal 6 (1 FH, 1 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Djokovic's FHs - 4 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 6 dtl (2 passes, 1 return), 6 inside-out and 1 inside-in
- BHs - 2 cc and 1 dtl
- the FHV was a second volley off a serve-volley point
Nadal's FHs - 1 dtl at net
- BH - 1 dtl pass
- 1 FHV can reasonably be called an OH and the other was a swinging dtl shot
- the BHV was a drop
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 17
- 11 Unforced (6 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV)
- 6 Forced (5 FH, 1 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.2
Nadal 21
- 9 Unforced (7 FH, 1 BH, 1 BHV)
- 12 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.6
(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Djokovic was
- 9/11 (82%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
--
- 0/1 return-approaching
Nadal was...
- 6/11 (55%) at net
Match Report
Almost perfect from Novak Djokovic
Nadal doesn't play badly. Or even flat. Hits consistently with reasonable force and depth - nothing special, but nothing terrible either. Nothing weak enough to invite attacks
But he's... what's the word? Some combination of blasted, whisked away, beaten down
Play
To start with, Djoko serves at 75%. First serves are strong of power, and moderately widely placed. Not line-licking, but not allowing stand-and-deliver returning either. At 75% in, that's a handful and probably match winning even with equality in play. Second serve is strong too, not at all easy to attack (not that Nadal tries)… generally, Djoko's second serve can look attackable but not here
On return... he just doesn't miss a ball. Just 3 errors (Nadal also has 3 aces). Nadal also doesn't lick lines with his serve, but does serve powerfully. First serve is about the same level as Djoko's - and he serves at a healthy 63%
Doesn't matter... everything comes back firmly. Even most wide serves and good body serves. Brilliant for most anybody else, not abnormal for Djokovic
Djoko's not at his very best as far as sending returns back to baseline (i.e. initiative snatching stuff), but most returns neutralize server's advantage. And he returns at 86% rate. That's a handful and probably match winning even with equality in play
Play is not equal
a) Starting point with initiative after first serve - Djoko capitilizes and frequently finishes with third ball FH winner. Nadal's return is good enough that Djoko's initiative isn't an overwhelming one... these are very good third ball shots. Or he pushes Nadal back or moves him to the side before finishing with point ending force
b) Starting from neutral position after Nadal return - players exchange solid groundies, Djoko's apt to squeeze out an advantage via moderately up from normal power and depth groundies… and then finishes as he does with initiative
c) Nadal's service points aren't much different. Return neutralizes Nadal's advantage most of the time, then play follows as in b)
d) When Nadal has initiative (which is rare), Djoko hustles defensively... not a big part of play though. On the run, Djoko hits strongly too
Nadal's movements are down by his standard, but normal for all but the fastest movers norm. Not sure Nadal's footspeed in 2016 would qualify him for being exceptionally fast anyway
FH is Djokovic's killer weapon in the match. He has 18 winners - which is more than all of his errors combined and just 3 short of all of Nadal's - and more than all his other winners, all of Nadal's winners and both players UEs and FEs individually
Note the varied distribution of the winners too - 4 cc, 6 dtl, 6 inside-out and 2 inside-in (1 is a combo of inside-in and cc). The points themselves are of all types too - 1-2 combos, point construction, shots out of neutral position... the whole nine yards
The strength of his BH is in redirecting balls. Just sends the ball wherever he wants - powerfully cc or sending Nadal running with dtl. Forces a lot of errors with both shots (Nadal has 12 FEs, Djoko 6)
He comes to net a fair bit (by his standard), 11 approaches in all, winning 9. There's a carefully controlled FH1/2V winner. Late in the match, probably drunk on how well he's playing, he serve-volleys to end a game and is challenged by a decent and return followed by a strong, wide pass. Makes a good FHV winner against it
Just one case of being too drunk. He hits a powerful BH cc return - and hesitatingly follows it to net. He's behind the service line when the ball comes back and misses a BHV to open court. No need to come in behind returns... was doing just fine doing what he was doing
Alternatives for Nadal?
Nadal looks to - and largely does - plays steady and consistent. Just 9 UEs (2 less than the significantly more aggressive Djoko), and just 1 of those a BH (and that was a rare, defensive UE)
Playing steady and consistent can be good strategy against an error prone, attacking opponent. His problem is that Djoko isn't making errors
Nadal doesn't look to unduly play FH cc's, his usual favourite. I imagine he'd learnt it wasn't particularly effective against Djokovic, whose BH cc can at least hold even with it and who can redirect ball dtl without trouble
In this match though, it'd probably have at least cushioned the beating he took (assuming Djokovic wouldn't be hitting 18 BH winners in 15 games). Djoko actually gets better of cc rallies starting from Nadal FH due to better movement (he also hits some extra angled balls)… but nothing to the extent of how things were going of the other wing
Nadal looks to play FH dtl quite often. Usually not a bad move against Djokovic. This day, its just whacked or whisked away FH cc - often with point ending force
11 net approaches is a lot for Nadal. Following common sense, if your losing from the baseline, you have to come to net. His missing an easy BHV brings home how infrequently he misses such balls in general
---
Nadal has his sole break point in opening game of match. That's erased with a FH inside-out/FH cc 1-2 ending with a winner, followed by a third ball FH inside-out winner
Net play, drop shots and a error forcing FH cc give Djoko the break next game
He adds a second in an excellently played game - the last 3 points of which end with winners - FH dtl, FH inside-in (set up by another FH dtl) and BH cc (after being on defensive most of the point)
Nadal tries slicing to start second set. Doesn't work. Djoko deals with and ends a point with FH inside-out winner. Next point, he slices back and point ends with Nadal BH error. Djoko breaks to move ahead 2-0
Djoko gains second break middle of the set in an exhibition of BH direction changing shots. There's an anticipated FH dtl passing winner against an at net Nadal's FH inside-out, a BH dtl winner and finally, overpowering Nadal from back to come in and finish with a smash
Djoko finishes with a flourish too. Serving for the match, he moves to 40-0 with 3 FH winners - cc, inside-out and dtl - the 1st and 3rd being third balls, the 2nd a wrong footing shot, before finishing with an unreturned serve
Summing up, near flawless stuff from Djokovic - strong serving, strong returning, killing FHs, varied BHs and even net approaches. Not bad from Nadal, but you barely notice him in this match
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