Have you ever seen your favourite lose when playing his very best?

Djokovic2011

Djokovic2011

Bionic Poster
I've noticed just recently on various threads on here just how loathe some posters are to admitting that their favourite player lost when playing his best tennis. It often amuses me to see how certain fanbases go right round the houses trying to find excuses as to why their boy lost to so and so on a particular day whether it be through injury, fatigue, personal circumstances or a building collapsing onto the court.

It's as if it would actually kill people on this forum to just say "my favourite played great but the other guy played better. Congratulations to him and we'll see what happens in the next tournament". I mean is that really so hard to do? Where's the graciousness? I kind of understand it in a way. We all want to think of our favourite player as some kind of perfect tennis machine who, if playing at his maximum level, cannot be beaten by ANYONE. But guess what guys, it happens so why not just acknowledge it?

So as my question in the title of this thread asks, have you ever seen your favourite lose when playing his very best? To get things started I will say that Djokovic losing to Federer in the 2011 FO SF is a pretty good example of someone playing great but still losing in the end.

In the legendary words of DM you have the floor. Have at it and have fun!
 
I don't think Fed was feeling 100% but certainly was trying hard against Delbonis in Hamburg last year and got beat
 
For the record Fed is not my favorite player but you can't not appreciate his game and contributions to tennis.

Ferrer was outplayed by Dogolpolov in Rio...
 
No matter how good you are, you can play your best and still lose. It doesn't mean you can't beat that same opponent again. Just that in that one particular match, he was just better than you.
And this same opponent can also lose to you whilst playing his best. Sometimes luck comes in play. Sometimes a couple of points here and there decide the winner.

Nadal lost a few times to Djokovic playing his best. Miami, AO '12, maybe USO '11 too. Wimbledon final of 2011, I thought Nadal was playing timidly at times against Novak.

I would say Novak also lost to Nadal whilst playing his best in USO '13 final. He was the better player in 3rd set and Nadal still beat him for the set. Djokovic just gave up the fight after that.
 
AM95 said:
2005 AO semi - Fed vs Safin. Fed was playing sublime. Great match
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This is an excellent example. Sadly I never saw the match live but from what I've seen of the highlights Fed was indeed playing at a very high level, Safin was just a little better.
 
Very best possible like peakiest of peaks?

Best possibly at that particular time?

I'd say when 2006 and 2007 Federer were playing Nadal at the FO, that was the best he had at his peak.

I also think 2009 AO Federer and 2005 AO Federer were playing top quality vs. Nadal and Safin and lost.


I think that Nadal was playing as well as he possibly could have every single time he lost to Djoker in 2011 ... but that Nole was zoning.. and we really haven't seen that Nole since.
 
2005 AO and 2006 Rome.

For Djokovic, I would say it has to be somewhere in 2011 so RG is the obvious pick.

For Nadal, it was probably 2012 AO

And for Murray, the immediate one I can think of is 2012 Wimbledon.
 
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The best of Nadal in 2008 is not the same as the best of Nadal in 2013 or 2010 or 2011. Your best never stays the same. At least that's what I think and seen in life.
 
Steve0904 said:
2005 AO and 2006 Rome.

For Djokovic, I would say it has to be somewhere in 2011 so RG is the obvious pick.

For Nadal, it was probably 2012 AO

And for Murray, the immediate one I can think of is 2012 Wimbledon.
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As is often the case with you Steve0904 I concur! :)
 
LazyNinja19 said:
Lol. This one ain't true. Murray choked that match big time!

Agree with the rest.
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Just like Nole choked in 2013 RG final too.:)

Seriously, had Murray was playing someone else at the Wimbledon 2012, he could have won. Fed has his number at the slam, but Murray has beaten Nadal at the slams before.
 
Murray didnt play that well at wimbledon 2012. I would replace Murray's with 2012 AO semi final against Djokovic. Best iv seen him play but lose, agree with everyone elses picks for the others.
 
Djokovic2011 said:
I've noticed just recently on various threads on here just how loathe some posters are to admitting that their favourite player lost when playing his best tennis. It often amuses me to see how certain fanbases go right round the houses trying to find excuses as to why their boy lost to so and so on a particular day whether it be through injury, fatigue, personal circumstances or a building collapsing onto the court.



It's as if it would actually kill people on this forum to just say "my favourite played great but the other guy played better. Congratulations to him and we'll see what happens in the next tournament". I mean is that really so hard to do? Where's the graciousness? I kind of understand it in a way. We all want to think of our favourite player as some kind of perfect tennis machine who, if playing at his maximum level, cannot be beaten by ANYONE. But guess what guys, it happens so why not just acknowledge it?



So as my question in the title of this thread asks, have you ever seen your favourite lose when playing his very best? To get things started I will say that Djokovic losing to Federer in the 2011 FO SF is a pretty good example of someone playing great but still losing in the end.



In the legendary words of DM you have the floor. Have at it and have fun!
Click to expand...


Yes Federer lost 23-10 at his very best. So what
 
Solo said:
Djokovic RG 2013. What a dunse.
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I'm not so sure I would include last year's FO match. He played great at certain times in the match but all the way through? That 3rd set was just too sloppy for my liking, he kinda gave it away after the first couple of games.
 
Djokovic2011 said:
Thank you my friend but unfortunately highlights is all I can ever watch- I don't have enough broadband to watch a full match, especially one over 4 hours!
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You sound really vintage...like the other day you didn't know how to make letters bold or insert a image on a forum :lol:

Are you on a USB dongle or is it home broadband?
 
tennis_pro said:
I would say Murray Shanghai 2012 against Djokovic. How Djokovic turned that match around against Murray playing at that level I still don't know.
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Terenigma said:
Murray didnt play that well at wimbledon 2012. I would replace Murray's with 2012 AO semi final against Djokovic. Best iv seen him play but lose, agree with everyone elses picks for the others.
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Both these matches seem apt for Murray here.
 
Solo said:
You sound really vintage...like the other day you didn't know how to make letters bold or insert a image on a forum :lol:

Are you on a USB dongle or is it home broadband?
Click to expand...

Haha "vintage". I've been called many things in my time but never that! I think I'm just not at all au fait with modern technology- never have been, probably never will be. It's a miracle I ever managed to log onto this forum, I was actually quite proud of myself at the time! :oops:
 
Steve0904 said:
2005 AO and 2006 Rome.

For Djokovic, I would say it has to be somewhere in 2011 so RG is the obvious pick.

For Nadal, it was probably 2012 AO

And for Murray, the immediate one I can think of is 2012 Wimbledon.
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Great picks.

From the matches, I've seen from the stands, I think the WTF-final in 2012 stands out.
While not playing at his very peak, I still think Fed played a pretty great match. In the end, he won one less point than Djoko (96-95), but Djoko still got the job done in 2 sets. The match had everything - except a third set.
 
Sampras v. Safin in 2000 US Open final. Sampras played well, but Safin rolled him. I always thought if Pete played his best, nobody in the game could beat him, maybe except that day.
 
Djokovic2011 said:
Haha "vintage". I've been called many things in my time but never that! I think I'm just not at all au fait with modern technology- never have been, probably never will be. It's a miracle I ever managed to log onto this forum, I was actually quite proud of myself at the time! :oops:
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But you're only 32 yr old, if I remember correctly.. :confused:
 
LazyNinja19 said:
Lol. This one ain't true. Murray choked that match big time!

Agree with the rest.
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Murray choked in the Wimbledon 2012 final? When/how? In which game?
You silly fanboy, he lost to a better man, deal with it.
 
Federer:

2005 Australian Open (Safin)
2006 Rome (Nadal)
2008 Cincinnati (Karlovic)
2011 US Open (Djokovic)


I would add more Nadal matches, but I think that's tricky because Nadal so often makes Federer play poorly. Yes, Federer may be in great form, but as soon as Nadal's bouncing CC forehands up to Federer's shoulders and he's hitting 20 home runs off the backhand side, is he really "playing his very best?" Nadal doesn't usually give him a chance to play.
 
Terenigma said:
Murray didnt play that well at wimbledon 2012. I would replace Murray's with 2012 AO semi final against Djokovic. Best iv seen him play but lose, agree with everyone elses picks for the others.
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I forgot this one. I change my pick now. Although I still think Murray played great and was flat out outplayed at Wimbledon 2012. I also like the Shanghai pick, but I think the picks should be slam matches because it shows a sustained level over a longer period of time.
 
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Chanwan said:
From the matches, I've seen from the stands, I think the WTF-final in 2012 stands out.
While not playing at his very peak, I still think Fed played a pretty great match. In the end, he won one less point than Djoko (96-95), but Djoko still got the job done in 2 sets. The match had everything - except a third set.
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Very good example, I saw that match and had those thoughts exactly - what could he possible do more than this?

and also - as a rather early memory of federer, when enqvist won against federer in the 5-set final of basel. I thought this was it. being SO close to a title in his hometown.
 
Djokovic2011 said:
33 now my friend- time stands still for no man. If I were younger I'd probably be great on the Internet but sadly I was born in the wrong generation:( Oh well........
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You were a teen throughout the 1990s. Mid-20s through mid-30s right now are like the best of the best at using modern technology (personal computers, internet, cell phones, texting, etc).
 
2001 US Open Quarterfinal

Sampras def. Agassi (6-7; 7-6; 7-6; 7-6)

I honestly don't think Agassi could have played any better! He never lost his serve throughout the entire match, and still lost.
 
Yes,quite a few in 2011,Djokovic2011(same year as your handle ironically :lol: ). Wimbledon 2011,USO 2011 and AO 2012 Finals, my favourite lost even though he played his best tennis. :lol:
 
T and Ya I think it was the 2009 wimbledon final when Roddick was playing great. I thought for sure that he would beat Federer and finally get his wimbledon but Federer somehow pulled it out. I was crushed, I have a feeling Roddick was too.
 
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