Nadal v Djokovic in Beijing

[Gary20]

Djokovic claimed the match was very tight and spent alot of his press conference talking up Nadal. The court in Beijing favours Djokovic due to it's low bounce, even in 2013 Rafa got hammered there so today's result is not surprising.

What is surprising is the lack of fight Nadal showed. Albeit only an ATP 500 he did not look interested if truth be told and it seems like his motivation has gone. He has said a few times he has achieved everything he wanted in the game and more than he ever dreamed of, i wonder if that is beginning to show in his performances.

Djokovic didnt break sweat.

 

[kebabra22]

djokovic is bullshiting as usual, that match was everything but not tight.

 

[Adv. Edberg]

I only saw the first set but there was I think a good fight. While Djokos winners were 1mm inside, Nadals were 1mm outside. And Nadal didn't manage to win the important points. But that set was more of a 6-4 or 7-5 to Djoko I think.

Either way Djoko was always one step ahead.

 

[Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil]

Though the first set was a bit more competitive than the scoreline showed, the second was total hammering.

 

[OhYes]

Djokovic claimed the match was very tight and spent alot of his press conference talking up Nadal. The court in Beijing favours Djokovic due to it's low bounce, even in 2013 Rafa got hammered there so today's result is not surprising.

What is surprising is the lack of fight Nadal showed. Albeit only an ATP 500 he did not look interested if truth be told and it seems like his motivation has gone. He has said a few times he has achieved everything he wanted in the game and more than he ever dreamed of, i wonder if that is beginning to show in his performances.

Djokovic didnt break sweat.

Did we watch the same match ? Nadal was really good and committed. Some of their rallies looked like those from AO12. First point in the match was what we were missing all this time since Nadal was hurt and out of his game. It's Djokovic who produced his peak level game and Nadal couldn't cope with it.

 

[Gary20]

Did we watch the same match ? Nadal was really good and committed. Some of their rallies looked like those from AO12. First point in the match was what we were missing all this time since Nadal was hurt and out of his game. It's Djokovic who produced his peak level game and Nadal couldn't cope with it.

Nadal was not good at all, and British TV suggested he perhaps wasnt as committed as he is at other tournaments. Djokovic was not at his peak at all.

 

[OhYes]

Nadal was not good at all, and British TV suggested he perhaps wasnt as committed as he is at other tournaments. Djokovic was not at his peak at all.

Huh ? I don't need British TV commentators to explain me something I saw with my own eyes. I know it can look tough and anticlimactic, but everyone knew from the start Nadal hasn't got much chance for 3rd set, let alone a win. Nole had 1,12 at bookies before match.
And remember that we are talking about Nadal, not Tsonga, Gasquet, Wawrinka... Nadal just can't be few notches under his most comitted in final vs Nole or Rog.

 

[Gary20]

Huh ? I don't need British TV commentators to explain me something I saw with my own eyes. I know it can look tough and anticlimactic, but everyone knew from the start Nadal hasn't got much chance for 3rd set, let alone a win. Nole had 1,12 at bookies before match.
And remember that we are talking about Nadal, not Tsonga, Gasquet, Wawrinka... Nadal just can't be few notches under his most comitted in final vs Nole or Rog.

Well ive watched most of Rafa's matches throughout his carer and he definitely wasnt as committed today. He rarely is these days outside the Majors tbh. Motivation is a problem for a player who has achieved everything, Federer has this problem as well at times.

 

[OhYes]

Well ive watched most of Rafa's matches throughout his carer and he definitely wasnt as committed today. He rarely is these days outside the Majors tbh. Motivation is a problem for a player who has achieved everything, Federer has this problem as well at times.

If you want to believe in that - suit yourself.

 

[ibbi]

There were definitely positive signs in that first set. Minor ones, but positive signs. The scoreline did not do the set justice at all. Rafa was rallying with Novak quite comfortably for decent lengths of time on what is pretty unquestionably his favourite court on tour (or has become so at least, ever since Rafa reduced him to tears on it in 2008 ) and after the year that he's had that alone is something to marvel at. I would agree that Djokovic didn't break sweat, but he doesn't really need to considering the gulf between him and the rest of the tour/how comfortable he is on this court (I think he's only dropped 3 sets en route to his 6 titles, and only once this week did anybody even take 3 games off of him in a set)

I don't think a realistic goal for Nadal at this point is beating Djokovic. Baby steps. He needs to get back to the point where he's comfortable on court with the other guys in the top 10 first, and the first set today suggested he's getting closer to a level where that should be a possibility.

 

[Gary20]

There were definitely positive signs in that first set. Minor ones, but positive signs. The scoreline did not do the set justice at all. Rafa was rallying with Novak quite comfortably for decent lengths of time on what is pretty unquestionably his favourite court on tour (or has become so at least, ever since Rafa reduced him to tears on it in 2008 ) and after the year that he's had that alone is something to marvel at. I would agree that Djokovic didn't break sweat, but he doesn't really need to considering the gulf between him and the rest of the tour/how comfortable he is on this court (I think he's only dropped 3 sets en route to his 6 titles, and only once this week did anybody even take 3 games off of him in a set)

I don't think a realistic goal for Nadal at this point is beating Djokovic. Baby steps. He needs to get back to the point where he's comfortable on court with the other guys in the top 10 first, and the first set today suggested he's getting closer to a level where that should be a possibility.

That court is nothing like the Olympic court as it bounces far lower. If Rafa can hang with Djokovic closer on lower bouncing courts for the rest of the year, then Rafa should be beating Djokovic when they get onto the higher bouncing courts.

 

[SpinToWin]

Nadal was playing better than lately but not great and Djokovic was not playing his best, but good enough for the current Nadal.

 

[Gary20]

Nadal was playing better than lately but not great and Djokovic was not playing his best, but good enough for the current Nadal.

agreed

 

[BeatlesFan]

If Rafa can hang with Djokovic closer on lower bouncing courts for the rest of the year, then Rafa should be beating Djokovic when they get onto the higher bouncing courts.

Kinda like saying, "If Hitler were alive, it would be 1945."

But it isn't.

Increasingly, Nadal fans rely on the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" defense. Why don't any of you Nadal fans face the facts: he's had his ass handed to him by Djoker every single match in 2015. He's been owned by his former pigeons. He has not been a factor in the majors.

The Nadal ship has sailed. Even at his peak he wasn't as good as Nole has been this entire year.

 

[Gary20]

Kinda like saying, "If Hitler were alive, it would be 1945."

But it isn't.

Increasingly, Nadal fans rely on the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" defense. Why don't any of you Nadal fans face the facts: he's had his ass handed to him by Djoker every single match in 2015. He's been owned by his former pigeons. He has not been a factor in the majors.

The Nadal ship has sailed. Even at his peak he wasn't as good as Nole has been this entire year.

What irrelevant garbage. Facts are even a crap 2015 ends with Nadal way ahead of Djokovic in terms of achievements. Now that is a fact Djokovic fans seem to struggle with.

 

[Mainad]

What irrelevant garbage. Facts are even a crap 2015 ends with Nadal way ahead of Djokovic in terms of achievements. Now that is a fact Djokovic fans seem to struggle with.

Currently, they are 4 Slams, 3 Masters and 11 titles adrift but if Djokovic has another season next year like this one and Nadal has still not picked up his game.......hmmmm.

 

[Luckydog]

Nadal fought well last night.But there was still no hope to win the final.It was a despairing fight for Nadal even he had tried his best. Surprisingly, the finalist has been already his best performance on hard courts since 2014 Miami. Maybe a finalist can help Nadal rebuild his confidence,but he still fights in OLD WAY which needs great stamina and concentration.It is a bad news.

 

[Noleberic123]

Nadal was playing better than lately but not great and Djokovic was not playing his best, but good enough for the current Nadal.

I thought Djokovic played better in the 2013 final.

 

[Adv. Edberg]

Currently, they are 4 Slams, 3 Masters and 11 titles adrift but if Djokovic has another season next year like this one and Nadal has still not picked up his game.......hmmmm.

And Djoko will have probably 4 more years like this. Another 9 slams.. The era is getting weaker and weaker so not impossible.

 

[Noleberic123]

And Djoko will have probably 4 more years like this. Another 9 slams.. The era is getting weaker and weaker so not impossible.

I hope so

 

[junior74]

Nadal played pretty good, this is where he's at at the moment. It really felt like Djokovic had an extra gear, which he didn't have to use. Main problem, IMO, is that Nadal's game lacks a lot in depth, especially (and surprisingly) on the forehand side. Djokovic got to hit a lot of shots well inside the baseline, and that's when he gets really cute with his angled shots. To me, this looked like a pretty easy win. Djokovic was never threatened in any way, and had a momentum from start to finnish (sorry, had to ).