Novak Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(2)in the Australian Open final, 2008 on hard court
This was Djokovic's first Slam title. Tsonga was unseeded and playing in his first tour level final and he beat Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray among others in reaching it. To date, this remains his only Slam final
Djokovic won 136 points, Tsonga 122
Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (68/122) 56%
- 1st serve points won (53/68) 78%
- 2nd serve points won (34/54) 63%
- Aces 11
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (35/122) 29%
Tsonga....
- 1st serve percentage (97/136) 71%
- 1st serve points won (69/97) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (18/39) 46%
- Aces 15, Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (39/136) 29%
Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 57%
- to Body 6%
Tsonga served...
- to FH 50%
- to BH 46%
- to Body 4%
Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 95 (49 FH, 46 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 22 Errors, comprising...
- 10 Unforced (5 FH, 5 BH)
- 12 Forced (7 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (95/134) 71%
Tsonga made...
- 85 (41 FH, 44 BH), including 9 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 1 Winner (1 FH), a runaround FH
- 24 Errors, comprising...
- 14 Unforced (3 FH, 11 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 10 Forced (7 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (85/120) 71%
Break Points
Djokovic 4/6 (4 games)
Tsonga 2/5 (4 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 33 (11 FH, 9 BH, 5 BHV, 8 OH)
Tsonga 27 (17 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 4 BHV, 3 OH)
Djokovic's FHs - 3 cc (1 pass), 3 dtl (1 pass at net), 3 inside-out (2 passes at net) and 2 inside-in
- BHs - 2 cc (1 pass), 5 dtl (1 return, 1 pass), 1 drop shot and 1 lob
- 3 OHs were on the bounce - 1 from no-man's land, a forced back net point
Tsonga's FHs - 7 cc (1 runaround return, 1 at net, 2 passes), 1 dtl, 1 dtl/lob, 4 inside-out and 4 inside-in
- BHs - 2 dtl (1 pass at net)
- 4 from serve-volley points
- 2 first volleys (2 BHV)
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 OH)
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 54
- 33 Unforced (18 FH, 14 BH, 1 BHV)
- 21 Forced (11 FH, 9 BH, 1 BHV)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.6
Tsonga 66
- 40 Unforced (22 FH, 15 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)... 1 FH was a ball he made then incorrectly challenged
- 26 Forced (14 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.5
(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...
- 29/36 (81%) at net, with...
- 3/3 (100%) forced back/retreated
Tsonga was...
- 21/36 (58%) at net, including...
- 7/12 (58%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 0/1 return-approaching
Match Report
Very good, fast paced match. Though Djokovic and Tsonga generally aren't similar of playing style, they are in this encounter. Djokovic is better in most areas - key ones being the return, defensively and off the backhand
Tsonga has slightly stronger serve, but Djokovic leads in serve-return complex due to the return part of that equation. particularly the BH return
Both players look to attack from the baseline with powerful shots and both succeed. Key difference is in defence. When Djoko attacks, Tsonga is pushed on defensive and Djoko is able to finish points most of the time by hitting winners, or beating out errors (forced or otherwise) or coming to net behind a strong approach. By contrast, when Tsonga attacks, Djoko is able to counter-attack with hard hit shots on the run to neutralize the dynamic or occasionally, turn it around regularly enough to give him a significant overall advantage
Fitness is a factor. Tsonga appears to struggle with fatigue, possibly cramping from middle of third set and his movement and play falls off. Djoko follows suit from early in 4th set and the intensity of his game drops appreciably. In last part of match, both players save their energy for their service games and on return, both play with low percentage abandon, virtually always unsuccessfully. That's not much of difference for Tsonga, who's been shut out on return most of match, but for Djokovic, its a big step down
Crowd's behaviour is noteworthy. From the get- go, they loudly get behind Tsonga. Rare to see a neutral crowd so completely in one players corner. They weren't this loud for their own Lleyton Hewitt in the '05 final. The support very popular Roger Federer received in his semi loss to Djoko is a drop in the lake compared to what Tsonga gets here. Tsonga had thrashed Rafael Nadal in the semi playing a crowd pleasing brand of attacking all court tennis - it seems to have won him many admirers. Djoko's box complains about an apparently vociferous group sitting right behind them painted up in French flag colours and officials take it seriously enough to intervene
Tsonga complains a few times about something related to Djokovic's serving. Tsonga himself plays exceptionally quickly. Djoko, though slower, is comfortably within 25 seconds just about all the time. A quirk of Djoko's serving ritual that likely disturbs the concentration of players not used to playing him is variations in his ball bouncing routine. Most players - whether fast or slow - are at least consistent in the time they take between points. Djoko isn't... one imagines that it takes some getting used to
Serve & Return
Tsonga serves better, Djokovic returns better... gap in returning is lager than gap in serving and overall, Djoko coming up ahead
There's not much in it between the two players first serves, Tsonga maybe a bit more powerful, Djokovic also strong but sending down a small number of unforceful serves in swing zone. Tsonga though serves at very impressive 71%. Djoko serves at 56%, but dominates his serve. At one stretch, he wins 23/24 first serve points. Serve does reasonable damage, as 11 aces testify to, but the high 78% winning rate is more about his ability to make most of advantageous starting position in rallies (more on that later). Not that Tsonga is far behind, winning 71% first serve points. With much higher in count, Tsonga's likely coming up ahead here
Djoko leading first serve points has much to do with the return. He thumps most balls in reach back at least firmly and usually, hard and regularly gets wide serves back on the stretch flat and near neutralizingly. Lots of credit to Djoko on the return. As well as he serves, Tsonga could have expected higher lot of free points (unreturned serves) and more weak returns he could wade into. He gets enough of both to hold comfortably enough for the most part. Djoko though does more than enough to create chances for himself
The big statistical difference is in second serve points. Djoko wins large 63% to Tsonga's 46%. Here, quality of return comes through even more. Djoko returns hard and deep. Tsonga has his moments, particularly with runaround FHs, but is more error prone and his typical return still leaves Djoko with initiative. Some surprisingly good second serving from Djoko, who sends down a small number of forcefully wide second serves
Unreturned rates are equal at 29%. With Tsonga having stronger serve, getting 15% more first serves in and serve-volleying 12 times (to Djokovic's 0), that reflects a huge win for Djoko on the return
No safe place to serve to Djoko. Tsonga is smart to distribute serves near evenly. There's virtually no difference in quality of Djoko's returning across wings of either consistency of damaging ability. Generally, he tends to be more consistent of BH but more damaging of FH
By contrast, Tsonga's BH return is clearly more vulnerable and less strong than FH. 11/14 of his UEs are BHs - and 2/3 that aren't are runaround shots. Regular serves can get errors from Tsonga BH, but it takes good ones to draw them from FH. Djoko's also much better at swinging serve out wide to FH in deuce court than he is to BH in ad
This was Djokovic's first Slam title. Tsonga was unseeded and playing in his first tour level final and he beat Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray among others in reaching it. To date, this remains his only Slam final
Djokovic won 136 points, Tsonga 122
Serve Stats
Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (68/122) 56%
- 1st serve points won (53/68) 78%
- 2nd serve points won (34/54) 63%
- Aces 11
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (35/122) 29%
Tsonga....
- 1st serve percentage (97/136) 71%
- 1st serve points won (69/97) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (18/39) 46%
- Aces 15, Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (39/136) 29%
Serve Patterns
Djokovic served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 57%
- to Body 6%
Tsonga served...
- to FH 50%
- to BH 46%
- to Body 4%
Return Stats
Djokovic made...
- 95 (49 FH, 46 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 22 Errors, comprising...
- 10 Unforced (5 FH, 5 BH)
- 12 Forced (7 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (95/134) 71%
Tsonga made...
- 85 (41 FH, 44 BH), including 9 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 1 Winner (1 FH), a runaround FH
- 24 Errors, comprising...
- 14 Unforced (3 FH, 11 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 10 Forced (7 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (85/120) 71%
Break Points
Djokovic 4/6 (4 games)
Tsonga 2/5 (4 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Djokovic 33 (11 FH, 9 BH, 5 BHV, 8 OH)
Tsonga 27 (17 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 4 BHV, 3 OH)
Djokovic's FHs - 3 cc (1 pass), 3 dtl (1 pass at net), 3 inside-out (2 passes at net) and 2 inside-in
- BHs - 2 cc (1 pass), 5 dtl (1 return, 1 pass), 1 drop shot and 1 lob
- 3 OHs were on the bounce - 1 from no-man's land, a forced back net point
Tsonga's FHs - 7 cc (1 runaround return, 1 at net, 2 passes), 1 dtl, 1 dtl/lob, 4 inside-out and 4 inside-in
- BHs - 2 dtl (1 pass at net)
- 4 from serve-volley points
- 2 first volleys (2 BHV)
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 OH)
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Djokovic 54
- 33 Unforced (18 FH, 14 BH, 1 BHV)
- 21 Forced (11 FH, 9 BH, 1 BHV)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.6
Tsonga 66
- 40 Unforced (22 FH, 15 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)... 1 FH was a ball he made then incorrectly challenged
- 26 Forced (14 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.5
(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...
- 29/36 (81%) at net, with...
- 3/3 (100%) forced back/retreated
Tsonga was...
- 21/36 (58%) at net, including...
- 7/12 (58%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 0/1 return-approaching
Match Report
Very good, fast paced match. Though Djokovic and Tsonga generally aren't similar of playing style, they are in this encounter. Djokovic is better in most areas - key ones being the return, defensively and off the backhand
Tsonga has slightly stronger serve, but Djokovic leads in serve-return complex due to the return part of that equation. particularly the BH return
Both players look to attack from the baseline with powerful shots and both succeed. Key difference is in defence. When Djoko attacks, Tsonga is pushed on defensive and Djoko is able to finish points most of the time by hitting winners, or beating out errors (forced or otherwise) or coming to net behind a strong approach. By contrast, when Tsonga attacks, Djoko is able to counter-attack with hard hit shots on the run to neutralize the dynamic or occasionally, turn it around regularly enough to give him a significant overall advantage
Fitness is a factor. Tsonga appears to struggle with fatigue, possibly cramping from middle of third set and his movement and play falls off. Djoko follows suit from early in 4th set and the intensity of his game drops appreciably. In last part of match, both players save their energy for their service games and on return, both play with low percentage abandon, virtually always unsuccessfully. That's not much of difference for Tsonga, who's been shut out on return most of match, but for Djokovic, its a big step down
Crowd's behaviour is noteworthy. From the get- go, they loudly get behind Tsonga. Rare to see a neutral crowd so completely in one players corner. They weren't this loud for their own Lleyton Hewitt in the '05 final. The support very popular Roger Federer received in his semi loss to Djoko is a drop in the lake compared to what Tsonga gets here. Tsonga had thrashed Rafael Nadal in the semi playing a crowd pleasing brand of attacking all court tennis - it seems to have won him many admirers. Djoko's box complains about an apparently vociferous group sitting right behind them painted up in French flag colours and officials take it seriously enough to intervene
Tsonga complains a few times about something related to Djokovic's serving. Tsonga himself plays exceptionally quickly. Djoko, though slower, is comfortably within 25 seconds just about all the time. A quirk of Djoko's serving ritual that likely disturbs the concentration of players not used to playing him is variations in his ball bouncing routine. Most players - whether fast or slow - are at least consistent in the time they take between points. Djoko isn't... one imagines that it takes some getting used to
Serve & Return
Tsonga serves better, Djokovic returns better... gap in returning is lager than gap in serving and overall, Djoko coming up ahead
There's not much in it between the two players first serves, Tsonga maybe a bit more powerful, Djokovic also strong but sending down a small number of unforceful serves in swing zone. Tsonga though serves at very impressive 71%. Djoko serves at 56%, but dominates his serve. At one stretch, he wins 23/24 first serve points. Serve does reasonable damage, as 11 aces testify to, but the high 78% winning rate is more about his ability to make most of advantageous starting position in rallies (more on that later). Not that Tsonga is far behind, winning 71% first serve points. With much higher in count, Tsonga's likely coming up ahead here
Djoko leading first serve points has much to do with the return. He thumps most balls in reach back at least firmly and usually, hard and regularly gets wide serves back on the stretch flat and near neutralizingly. Lots of credit to Djoko on the return. As well as he serves, Tsonga could have expected higher lot of free points (unreturned serves) and more weak returns he could wade into. He gets enough of both to hold comfortably enough for the most part. Djoko though does more than enough to create chances for himself
The big statistical difference is in second serve points. Djoko wins large 63% to Tsonga's 46%. Here, quality of return comes through even more. Djoko returns hard and deep. Tsonga has his moments, particularly with runaround FHs, but is more error prone and his typical return still leaves Djoko with initiative. Some surprisingly good second serving from Djoko, who sends down a small number of forcefully wide second serves
Unreturned rates are equal at 29%. With Tsonga having stronger serve, getting 15% more first serves in and serve-volleying 12 times (to Djokovic's 0), that reflects a huge win for Djoko on the return
No safe place to serve to Djoko. Tsonga is smart to distribute serves near evenly. There's virtually no difference in quality of Djoko's returning across wings of either consistency of damaging ability. Generally, he tends to be more consistent of BH but more damaging of FH
By contrast, Tsonga's BH return is clearly more vulnerable and less strong than FH. 11/14 of his UEs are BHs - and 2/3 that aren't are runaround shots. Regular serves can get errors from Tsonga BH, but it takes good ones to draw them from FH. Djoko's also much better at swinging serve out wide to FH in deuce court than he is to BH in ad
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