Because that 1 set is completely irrelevant since it has no barring on the end result or general dynamic of the match. He got his 1 set in 2016, but it didn't make his performance any better compared to 2008/2011 semis.
It's like saying Djoko was better in the 2008 USO semi compared to 2007 F or 2009 semi. It is irrelevant if he was or wasn't a bit better, the end result is that he lost in roughly the same manner. If winning that 2nd set in the 2008 semi resulted in him riding some momentum and taking it to 5 it would be a better performance.
So whether 2012/2017/2018 Fed would claim that 1 set against 2008/2011 Djoko, it's hardly relevant for the general feel of the end result, it's just a more cosmetic performance.
no. I'm talking about taking a set and couple more good level sets, unlike AO 2016 semi.
its not cosmetic and the match dynamics do change.
fed win 1st set in AO 12 vs nadal. and 3rd set could've gone either way. so 2-1 or 1-2. even 4th set was close with a possibility of going 5th.
unlike AO 08/11 - you knew it was very unlikely fed was going to win once he went down 0-2 in sets in both
even in USO 08, it was 1 all, it was 5-5 in the 3rd set and could still have gone either way from then. Only fed raised his level and wrestled the break.
in 07 and 09, fed was up 2 sets to love.
not the same dynamics as 08.
the difference b/w AO 12 semi fed vs AO 08/11 semi fed may not matter so much in the end result vs a 08/11 djoko, but it would matter vs say an opponent like 2014 AO semi nadal.
fed of AO 12 definitely has a clearly better chance of beating that Nadal than fed of AO 08/11 does.
heck, it might matter vs nadal of AO 12 final - who played worse than in the semi (partially matchup I know)
Because 2012 Nadal is an inferior player to 2008/2011 Djoko, who is more in line with 2009 Nadal for one, because he never dipped as low as the 2nd set in that match and because sets 3 and 4 were no better than any he played in 2008/2011 except maybe the 2nd in 2008 where he nearly wrestled the double break lead.
12 AO semi nadal is marginally worse than AO 08 semi djoko and a little more worse than AO 11 semi djoko. But fed matches up worse vs nadal than vs djokovic. so he's up vs a similar level of difficulty.
how did fed nearly wrestle back lead in 2nd set in AO 08? he got one break, that's it. the next service game, djokovic held with one deuce.
3rd and 4th sets of AO 12 semi from fed were better than 1st set of AO 08 semi, considerably better than 2nd set of AO 08 semi
and obviously 1st set of AO 12 semi was better than 3rd set of AO 08 semi (thanks to a flawless TB in the AO 12 semi 1st set)
3rd and 4th sets of AO 12 semi from fed were better than 3rd set of AO 11 semi.
2nd set of AO 11 semi was 2 halves from fed - a very good first half and a below par 2nd half. I'm going to take the 4th set from AO 12 semi over this, but 3rd set at similar level. (both fed/nadal played better in the 4th set than in the 3rd set in AO 12)
But again, over-riding factor is 1st set in AO 12 semi is clearly better than 1st or 2nd set from AO 11 semi.
Raising his level in the 5th set of that match was impressive, no doubt.
But can we also agree that the match-up changed quite a bit in Fed's favour after 2014 with Nadal's decline and changing in playstyle and that played a quite significant role in the grand scheme?
I don't think it changed to being in fed's favour, but it became neutral. But lets not forget that the racquet change and finally getting used to it also helped.
