Duel Match Stats/Reports - Nadal vs Djokovic, Year End Championship round robins, 2007 & 2009

[Waspsting]

Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 in the Year End Championship round robin, 2007 on indoor hard court in Shanghai, China

Nadal would finish second in the group with a 2-1 record and go onto lose in the semi-final to eventual champion Roger Federer. Djokovic, who was playing for the first time at the event, would finish bottom of the group with a 0-3 record, all straight set losses. The other two players in the group were David Ferrer who topped the group and would go onto be runner-up and Richard Gasquet

Nadal won 69 points, Djokovic 56

Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (39/56) 70%
- 1st serve points won (31/39) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (10/17) 59%
- Aces 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (14/56) 25%

Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (44/69) 64%
- 1st serve points won (27/44) 61%
- 2nd serve points won (14/25) 56%
- Aces 9
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (20/69) 29%

Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 23%
- to BH 75%
- to Body 2%

Djokovic served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 62%

Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 49 (18 FH, 31 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- 5 Forced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (49/69) 71%

Djokovic made...
- 42 (7 FH, 35 BH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (2 FH, 4 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 5 Forced (4 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (42/56) 75%

Break Points
Nadal 3/8 (5 games)
Djokovic 1/4 (2 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 15 (6 FH, 6 BH, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
Djokovic 15 (7 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BH1/2V, 3 OH)

Nadal's FHs - 1 cc pass, 1 cc/inside-in, 2 dtl (1 pass), 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out
- regular BHs - 2 cc (1 at net)
- BH passes - 2 cc (1 return), 2 dtl

Djokovic's FHs - 2 dtl (1 pass), 1 dtl/inside-out, 2 inside-out, 1 inside-in, 1 net chord dribbler
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 1 dtl, 1 drop shot

- 1 OH was on the bounce

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 21
- 8 Unforced (3 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- 13 Forced (10 FH, 3 BH)... with 1 BH at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.8

Djokovic 40
- 29 Unforced (13 FH, 14 BH, 2 FHV)
- 11 Forced (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BH1/2V)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.9

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was...
- 6/12 (50%) at net, including...
- 0/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
---
- 0/1 forced back

Djokovic was...
- 15/26 (58%) at net, including...
- 4/8 (50%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 3/6 (50%) off 1st serves and...
- 1/2 off 2nd serve

Match Report
Comfortable win for Nadal as he outlasts and outmuscles Djokovic from the baseline, while passing well when needed. Court is on quick side, but with healthy bounce

Some background. This was the last round robin match for both players. Djokovic was already eliminated and Nadal would be looking for as large a win as possible in terms of sets and games won to maximize his chances of advancing. Which leads to the question of just how up for the encounter Djokovic is

He seems normal enough. He looks weary for much of the match, but often did during this period, especially when things weren’t going his way (and they don’t go his way right from the get go). His movements are occasionally lazy, which again, isn’t out of norm for the period. He comes to net quite a bit, including serve-volleying. Not wholly unusual - Djoko liked to experiment, and coming to net is a good idea, given how baseline rallies go

In short, probably not a 100% effort from Djoko, but far from just going through the motions

It’s a two part match. In first set, two engage in neutral rallies. Nadal can’t seem to miss a ball, leaving it to Djoko to do so. Rallies are typically medium of length. Djoko comes to net a lot. Including serve-volleying. To an extent probably beyond what he would do if there was something on the line for him. Nadal passes very well

Gist - Nadal outlasting Djoko in rallies, Nadal winning good lot of points with Djoko at net

UEs for the set - Nadal 2 (1 FH, 1 BH), Djoko 15 (6 FH, 7 BH, 2 FHV)
Net points - Djoko 17, Nadal 5

In second set, there are a couple games where Djoko approaches regularly, but he replaces net play with attempt at hard-hitting, attacking baseline stuff. Again, Nadal gets better of things, with Djoko making more errors. In first set, the errors had been neutral ones from neutral rallies. Now, they tend to be attacking ones in attacking-defending rallies

A Nadal service hold at the end is highlight of the match - with Djokovic attacking furiously from the back, and Nadal just about managing to hold him off to retain his break advantage. The timing of this game colours perception of the match. It’s a first rate, exciting game - but on the whole, not very good attacking play from Djoko and Nadal fairly comfortable in holding him off for the set

Stats are neat in isolating difference between two players

Unreturneds - Nadal 25%, Djoko 29%
Extent to which Djoko has better serve makes that a relative win for Nadal. Djoko has 9 aces to Nadal’s 3 (which is an exaggerated indicator of how much stronger his serve is)

Neither player double faults, so that 4% sums up how things are going into rallies. In rallies -
- Winners - both 15
- FEs - Nadal 13, Djoko 11
-UEs - Nadal 8, Djoko 29

Nadal far more consistent accounting entirely for his superiority - QED

Djoko with better serve - more powerful and wider placed. Nadal returning from well behind baseline, though nothing near how far he’d come to take returns in future

Note Nadal serving 75% to BH. His patterns to Djoko have varied drastically across the years. In ‘07, probably just following his default patterns, without much consideration for Djoko’s abilities on the return across wings. Not bad serving from Nadal - his serve is more than a point starter

On the return, there’s a relative lack of firm, particularly deep returns from Djoko. He returns firmly enough - the assessment is made against time free, high quality Djoko standard, which involves some proportion of returns right back to baseline. Virtually none of that here. Against predictable direction and not too wide serves, would be unusual for Djoko not to give server a few returns to baseline to deal with. Comfy third balls for Nadal, as far as depth goes. Not soft returning from Djoko, but nothing to bother Nadal either. Occasional slowness by Djoko on second shot too - both in reacting and moving. Just occasional and minor

Nadal typically good in getting tough returns back. It keeps the freebie gap to just 4%. I’d estimate Djoko’s serve showing to be good for 35% against normal, good returning. Nadal keeps it down to 29%

Coincidentally, return errors and their breakdown have come out dead even - both with 11 return errors (6 UEs, 5 FEs)

 

[Waspsting]

8-29 advantage in UEs for Nadal is the difference between the players. Its not biased towards a wing. On UEs -
- Nadal has 3 FH, 4 BH (with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot shot)
- Djoko 13 FH, 14 BH

… with neutral UEs - Nadal 4, Djoko 14

Eventually, Nadal turns to going for a few FH dtl’s. He doesn’t back away to play many FHs in match as he was wont to in the period

Djoko finishes 15/26 at net or 58%, with 11/18 rallying there. That’s a hell of a lot better than does from the baseline - whether just rallying or looking to beat-down and attack. His approaches are premeditated, not a product of any kind of net instincts. At last not smooth and even a little awkward at net, and the volleying is just average

Djoko with a BH1/2V winner. One of the queerest things about him over the years is how well he’s always 1/2volleyed. Until recently, Djoko had been an ‘iffy volleyer and net player, but strangely enough, he’s always been good with 1/2volleys. The one here is more a fluke than anything else - but then again, most half-volley winners are. More broadly, he has a disproportionately high number of 1/2volley winners in his matches, relative to his approaches and how rarely he has to make a 1/2volley to begin with. One of the worst smashers, one of the best half-volleyers… what a combo

When Djoko takes to attacking from the baseline by winding up and hammering the ball, Nadal’s quick to fall back and defend (as opposed to stay put and contest for control). Doesn’t do badly with it, but its unusual to cede command of action so readily. Something he was very successful doing on clay during the period with his extraordinary defensive capabilities. On a hard court, its liable to get him into trouble sooner or later

This kind of thing is one reason why Nadal’s matches tend to be ‘high-quality’ affairs. His muscly, top-spin shots land short and/or rise to nice height for opponents to have a good rip through and he’s apt to fall back on defence - thus creating an entertaining attacker-defender dynamic

Contrast with Djoko, who tends to hit neutralizing shots from defensive position and uses depth to keep opponent from attacking in first place. Nadal’s classic brand of cc shots vs Djoko’s sometimes blunt-angled one that keep court closed up is another factor

Match Progression
Nadal takes a 4-1 lead - with Djoko’s only game being a 14 point affair that he has to save 2 break points in winning. The games aren’t short and neither are the rallies in them. Nadal muscling heavy top spinny shots, Djoko on top of the ball but missing eventually. And Djoko coming to net when he can. Nadal’s serve though is very safe

Opening game is Djoko’s 14 point hold. He’s up 40-0 before missing 3 BHs on the trot (2 dtl, 1 neutral) and a FH to bring up break point. Nadal’s at net for it but his drop volley is a bit too airy, Djoko runs it down and takes the point. Thereafter, Djoko turns to coming to net. Gets passed BH dtl first time, but comes away with the hold

Back-to-back cc passing winners (1of each wing) do the damage in Djoko’s next service game and and he’s broken when Nadal’s pass flicks the net chord leaving Djoko unable to make volley

BH dtl pass winner and Djoko missing an easy FHV go into the next break. Meanwhile, Nadal hasn’t lost a point in holding twice

He loses 4 to get broken. 3 Djoko winners - BH dtl, a wonderful FH dtl/inside-out springing from a cc rally and net chord dribbler. Such is Nadal’s way that more eyecatching is missing a routine third ball FH cc - 1 of 2 UEs he makes all set (Djoko makes 15 - 13 of them groundstrokes)

After Djoko consolidates to love, normal service is resumed - Nadal holding his remaining 2 games for loss of 1 point, Djoko struggling through a deuce hold with net play (including the BH1/2V winner) in remainder of set

17/23 first serves in for Nadal in the set. And 17 approaches from Djokovic

Action changes in second set. Nadal grabs early break for 2-1 - a soft game from Djoko, giving up weak errors from baseline. He switches tacks from coming to net to attacking from the baseline. Misses a few dtl shots, especially BHs, but has Nadal in more trouble than he did earlier

The highlight of the match is Nadal’s hold for 5-3. It begins not well - Djoko missing dtl winner attempts off either side, sandwiching Nadal missing an easy FHV for 30-15, then catches fire, with Djoko landing his big groundies and Nadal scrambling for all he’s worth to cope

Djoko has 2 break points. His FH blinks after a good length rally on the first, but he takes charge of the second and fires off what looks like a winner, let alone winning FH inside-out. Nadal gets it back, ends up flipping attacker-defender roles with a wide FH cc and comes away with a net-to-net BHV winner after drop shotting Djoko in. Fireworks aren’t over. Couple of points later, Djoko’s somehow able to hook a BH cc passing winner from a ball all but past him and with Nadal commandinly at net

Djoko misses his FH dtl by a hair point after before Nadal forces a wide FH error to finally hold

Djoko goes back to taking net - likely with his legs gone from the previous game - for his next hold, forcing Nadal to serve it out. Which he does to 15, but not before adding another gem to the matches collection. A beaten back Nadal coming up with a counter BH cc winner at a sharp angle keeps him ahead 30-15, before he wraps up with a third ball FH dtl winner

Summing up, pretty good match that ends on a particular high of brilliant attacking and counter-attacking tennis to leave a particularly good after-taste. Nadal has much the better of it - he’s typically wall-like from the back for much of it, while dishing out nasty passing shots against Djokovic’s regular forays to net

From grinding baseline action where he’s handsomely outdone, Djoko eventually shifts to hammering groundstrokes and looking to attack from the back - leading to some exciting tennis. Nadal ups his aggression a little too and is able to keep things even - to put himself over after the out-grinding had put him in the lead to start with

Stats for Nadal’s semi-final with Roger Federer - Duel Match Stats/Reports - Federer vs Nadal, Year End Championship semi-finals, 2006 & 2007 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)

 

[Waspsting]

Djokovic beat Nadal 7-6(5), 6-3 in the round robin, 2009 on indoor hard court in London, England

Both players would be eliminated in the round robin stage, Nadal with a 0-3 record, defending champion Djokovic with a 2-1 record, the same as the two players (Robin Soldering and eventual champion Nikolay Davydenko) who went through to the semi-final with better sets won percentage than Djokovic

Djokovic won 78 points, Nadal 66

Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (37/73) 51%
- 1st serve points won (28/37) 76%
- 2nd serve points won (19/36) 53%
- Aces 2
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (12/73) 16%

Nadal....
- 1st serve percentage (55/71) 77%
- 1st serve points won (33/55) 60%
- 2nd serve points won (8/16) 50%
- Aces 4, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (16/71) 23%

Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 23%
- to BH 70%
- to Body 7%

Nadal served...
- to FH 47%
- to BH 37%
- to Body 16%

Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 54 (27 FH, 27 BH), including 1 runaround FH &1 return-approach
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (6 FH, 2 BH)
- 3 Forced (3 FH)
- Return Rate (54/70) 77%

Nadal made...
- 58 (20 FH, 38 BH), including 8 runaround FHs
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (4 FH, 4 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 2 Forced (2 FH)
- Return Rate (58/70) 83%

Break Points
Djokovic 3/5 (4 games)
Nadal 2/6 (4 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 19 (8 FH, 5 BH, 2 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
Nadal 6 (2 FH, 2 BH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)

Djokovic's FHs - 1 dtl, 4 inside-out (1 return), 1 inside-out/dtl, 1 inside-in
- BHs - 2 cc, 2 dtl, 1 lob

Nadal's FHs - 1 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl
- BHs - 2 dtl

- the OH can reasonably be called a FHV

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 41
- 31 Unforced (17 FH, 13 BH, 1 BHV)... with 1 FH at net
- 10 Forced (7 FH, 3 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.7

Nadal 46
- 30 Unforced (18 FH, 12 BH)... with 2 FH pass attempts (1 at net)
- 16 Forced (7 FH, 9 BH)... with 2 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7

(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 are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Djokovic was...
- 18/21 (86%) at net, including...
- 0/1 serve-volleying, a 2nd serve
---
- 0/1 return-approaching

Nadal was...
- 4/11 (36%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Not a good match, with both players off to different degrees in multiple areas. Djokovic’s net play is is standout positive feature and it pushes him ahead of a ineffective Nadal

Its 2 years on and a different city, though similar conditions. And the boots on the other leg. This time, its Nadal’s who’s already eliminated and Djoko who needs to win to have a chance to go through. Situation’s more straightforward than ‘07 in that scorelines are irrelevant. If Djoko wins (and Davydenko loses his final group match), Djoko’s through. If both Djoko and Davy win, Davy’s through. And if Djoko loses, Davy’s through

So same question as last time, how up for what for him is a dead encounter is Nadal? He’s fine, and you’d expect nothing less for him. If anything, its Djoko who looks like he’s experimenting and who runs hot and cold and at times, seemingly careless. Just watching action, and told to pick who has nothing to gain from the match, one would guess Djoko

The result is comfy for Djoko in that he’s always the one up breaks and/or holding serve more readily and he’s 6-2 up in the ‘breaker. One way he ends up not looking so comfy is in final break point stats -

Djoko 3/5, Nadal 2/6, with both having them in 4 games, but in this case, it’s the stat that’s deceptive

Main standout stat is Djoko being 18/21 at net, including 18/19 rallying to net (he loses a serve-volley and return-approach point). Nadal’s just 4/11 and even 11 is a big exaggeration of his net hunger. Most of that is to deal with Djoko’s drop shots (which also serve as approach shots). Despite losing 7 points at net, Nadal misses no volleys (he does miss 2 running-down-drop-shots and 2 passes in forecourt - 1 of the latter after being forced back slightly behind service line)

Other one would be Nadal’s poor numbers. 6 winners, 30 UEs. Even with errors forced thrown in, he finishes -14 points ended aggressive/UE differential. Djoko’s net play gives him advantage here, and he’s a decent +4 on same metric

There is a very important thing going on though. This is the first match I’ve seen where Djoko’s employing the tactics that would ultimately see him topple Nadal on clay. He’s moving over to aim to big FH inside-outs to Nadal’s half-open FH side and looking to hit big BH cc that way too. Not systematically and not too well either, but more than for it to be an accident. These moves would eventually see him get better of Nadal on clay for the first time in 2011 (he’d always had a good record against Nadal on hard court and new tactics aren’t important there)

As for the match itself, its not good. For many reasons

- Poor and weak serving. Djoko serves at just 51%. At one stage, misses 7 first serves in a row - a streak that’s extended to 10/11 and 13/16 taking portions before and after it. Nadal serves at very good 77% by contrast, but his serve is almost harmless

There are 21 return errors. 16 of them have been marked UEs (8 for each player). Simple, or routine or even easy returns that both players simply miss. So the returning isn’t good either

Djoko’s 16% freebies is small, if understandable with such a low in count, so Nadal has returned consistently on whole. Still, it’s a middling showing from Nadal on second shot. He’s quite capable of returning 90% against what he’s faced with. 23% freebies for Nadal serving at 77% on a not slow hard court is poor. His ‘weapon’ is body serve, where he goes high 16% of the time. No trouble at all for Djoko to make room, though he misses the odd one anyway

Most baseline rallies end in UEs. Nadal’s FH is largely ineffective. Not quite just plopping ball in play, but not pressuring - let alone commanding - action either. Foregoes aggressive choices on some fairly obvious openings with it, which he tends to do when low on confidence. Just a run-of-the-mill groundstroke. Its quite possible to have low winners but be highly effective, so just giving the low 2 winner count as evidence of its ineffectiveness isn’t a great way to make the point, but in this case, its accurate enough. Not dictating play and not doing damage - which for given his game, is a big hit

Other linchpin of Nadal’s game is his consistency. If he’s not doing damage, he can still wall up to the tune of winning error battle by a long way. That doesn’t happen either. Both players make plenty of UEs and rallies are neither tough, nor long to justify it. Groundstrokes ordered by consistency (excluding net shots and passes) -

- both FHs 16
- BHs - Nadal 12, Djoko 13

… and UE breakdown (including net shots and passes)
- neutral - Djoko 14, Nadal 16
- attacking - Djoko 10, Nadal 8
- winner attempts - Djoko 7, Nadal 6

 

[Waspsting]

Djoko at least has 11 baseline-to-baseline winners to show for his trouble. Nadal has just 4

So baseline action features both players making a lot of UEs, but making them at almost exactly same rate, of type and of shot to keep things even

But Djoko doing a considerable damage with his shots, with Nadal doing next to none

Throw in Djoko coming in fairly often and being virtually perfect so doing with his 18/19 rallying to net, while Nadal rarely comes in voluntarily (maybe 5 or his 11 approaches are of his own initiative), and Djoko’s doing much better in play

What else? Nadal’s consistency problem across wings is divided by set. First set, FH falters with 15 UEs. Djoko gets better of it in the cc rallies and his BH has 8

His BH goes off in second half of second of set. He’s got just 3 FH UEs for the set but 8 BHs. Its not just the volume, it’s the type of errors he makes. Hitting routine shots half way up the net. This happens on the return too. Possible physical issue - he undergoes on-court treatment on his back at a change-over and in general, his BH tends to falter when he’s having back trouble

Djoko’s return stance is different from what it would come to be, with a certain relaxed casualness to it. Impression enhanced by certain carelessness on the shot. Like ‘07 match, next to 0 very deep returns to baseline

Match Progression
3 breaks in a row to start the match, and Djoko saves break point the game after to stay ahead 3-1

Nadal missing FH inside-in’s and Djoko scoring with 2 FH inside-out winners - 1 of them set up perfectly by a FH dtl - get the first break. Djoko double faulting and missing FHs (2 inside-outs) gets him broken back. And a couple of net trips from Djoko + Nadal missing another aggressive inside-in based FH makes it 3 in a row

Nadal’s got break pint to make it 4 but misses a routine, runaround FH return. Very nice drop shot in + BH lob winner combo from Djoko after that, before Nadal misses a sitter of a FH pass at net, similar to the famous one he’d miss in the 2012 Australian Open final to finally put a hold on the card

10 point hold for Nadal after that, so pressure stays on. Djoko then goes on an first serve missing bender, that sees him get broken for 4-4 in an all 2nd serve, 6 point game. Nice exchange game before with Djoko swatting a nothing-to-lose FH inside-out return winner down 40-0, and Nadal responding with a particularly good back-away third ball FH inside-out winner from the doubles alley. Almost the only good one he makes all match

Errors keep coming from both sides to the tiebreak. Confidence shaken, Nadal passes up hitting FHs to open court and goes right back to Djoko on first couple points. When he does go for a moderately attacking FH dtl awhile later, he misses to go down mini-break and 3-1

Nadal FH continue to flounder, missing another FH inside-out after a good rally and worst of all, a sitting duck pass from just behind the service line, which makes things 6-2 to Djoko with a serve to come. Nadal does win next 3 points - including 2 return points - but misses a routine third ball FH cc wide to finally give up the set

Djoko’s in control of the second. Nadal takes an on-court medical time out to have his back tended to after first change over, and is broken right after that. Nadal proactively takes net in the game, coming away with winners on both his trips, but more ground UEs and a particularly well played point by Djoko who hits a series of very wide FH cc’s before coming to net to finish gets him the break

Nadal’s BH becomes loose, and he’s pressed to hold, while Djoko does so comfortably. As he steps up to serve for the match, Djoko’s lost 3 points in 4 holds, while Nadal’s survived 10 and 8 point holds on top of being broken

Serve out though is tough, with Nadal opening a 0-30 lead (FH dtl winner attempt UE and a forced BH running-down-drop-shot shot error net-to-net). The latter is the only rallying approach point Djoko loses all match

Its ironic that this last game is probably the best of the match. After the first point, there’s only 1 more UE, Djoko missing an approach shot (Nadal has a couple of routine BH return errors against second serves also). Good rallies, aggressive plays. Nadal smacking a BH dtl winner, Djoko returning to the FH inside-out well to force a FH error. Djoko erases the only break point with a FH inside-in winner from up the court - having primed Nadal to look for FH inside-out all match. Fittingly, match ends with Djoko taking net behind a commanding third ball line BH to force passing error

Summing up, not a good match but it has its points of interest. Djokovic seems to have discovered the relative weakness of Nadal’s half-open FH corner and has success, particularly early on, in hammering FH inside-outs and even a few big BH cc’s that way. A point that would come to be of great importance in the future for both players

Match itself is ordinary. Nadal’s groundstrokes are ineffective, with FH un-damaging and error prone when it tries and BH later on faltering badly. That doesn’t leave him with much, but he doesn’t need much because Djokovic’s very free with the errors too, at times, careless and with shoddy movement, while serving at a low percentage

Not good as he is, Djokovic’s still comfortably better than his toothless opponent. His FH is effective at times, mostly but not exclusively with inside-outs. More than that, he’s wiling to come to net to finish - capitalizing on Nadal’s short shots and using the drop shot to approach behind very well - for which Nadal has no equalizer

Stats for the final between Nikolay Davydenko and Juan Martin del Potro - Match Stats/Report - Davydenko vs del Potro, Year End Championship final, 2009 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)