Yet he hasn't won a major in over a year.
Bitter Nadal fan is still bitter I see.![]()
Yet he hasn't won a major in over a year.
I'm just stating a fact. For all of Djokovic's recent successes, he's lost many big matches in majors recently. He's like Lendl in 1982 at the moment.
I don't consider that necessarily related to level of play. Wawrinka gave him a hell of a match, and took Nadal out as well. The last two tournaments he's really stepped it up.. that Miami final was just great play.
IMO the only other match Nole has played at a similar level was the 2011 Rome final. He just made Nadal look average both times. When Nole is playing that well he is simply untouchable from the baseline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0dDL0Jzknk
I have nothing against Djoker but this is pure BS.
I have nothing against Djoker but this is pure BS.
He scraped through IW. He played decent in the slow courts of Miami. Nowhere near his form in 2011.
Nadal is still on his clay throne, and he beat Djokovic at the last US Open. I just get the feeling that Nadal isn't getting the necessary credit for this. He's beaten Federer and Djokovic in big matches at hardcourt majors in the past, on top of dopinating on clay.
This was one match. 2011 was untamed epicness for 6 months straight. The clay season will be the moment of truth I think.
It is not. If it was Davydenko might be known by anyone outside of hard-core tennis fans.He's the current holder of 5 Masters 1000 and the WTF- if that's not the equivalent of at least 1 slam then I don't know what is...
It is not. If it was Davydenko might be known by anyone outside of hard-core tennis fans.
Ten Masters 1000 titles means nothing compared to one major in terms of how a player goes down in history.
On the OP, I disagree with Fink and Flemming. Nadal played sub-par for him and the Miami courts clearly don't bring out the best in his game - he can't rush Djokovic which is a must in order to beat him. Djokovic played well but wasn't in God-mode compared to times in the past imo.
Regardless, if Djokovic doesn't win a major this year it'll only take a year or two for 2014 to become regarded as a bad year for him. At the highest level of achievement he is expected to do well at majors in this part of his career.Yeah but that comparison doesn't really work. Djokovic's results in the last 4 slams are QF,RU,RU,SF whereas Davy, as good a player as he was, never had those kind of consistent results.
Yet he hasn't won a major in over a year.
Nadal is still on his clay throne, and he beat Djokovic at the last US Open. I just get the feeling that Nadal isn't getting the necessary credit for this. He's beaten Federer and Djokovic in big matches at hardcourt majors in the past, on top of dominating on clay.
13 > 6. 'Nuff said.
13 > 6. 'Nuff said.
I don't think his general level is much different to be honest. The difference in 2012 and 2013 is that Novak has not been able to come through in the biggest moments as consistently as he did in his great 2011.
Think about last year...he is up a break in the 5th at RG and loses. He is seemingly in control in the third set at Flushing Meadows and the wheels fall off. He comes through in those moments in 2011. And if he had done so last year his 2013 is on par with his breakout year.
The point is that his level is there. He just needs to find whatever he had in 2011 that made him so good in the big moments.
I really think the emphasis and failures at RG the last two years have had some lingering effect. If he wins there and gets that monkey off his back, I think he'll be more relaxed and tougher to beat after that.
Yet he hasn't won a major in over a year.
His form has been amazing since immediately after the US Open. 4 Masters 1000's in a row, a WTF. His only let down was the AO - and he gave the eventual winner his hardest match of the tournament.
IMO the only other match Nole has played at a similar level was the 2011 Rome final. He just made Nadal look average both times. When Nole is playing that well he is simply untouchable from the baseline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0dDL0Jzknk
Really? Nadal did look clueless, but I feel like out of the 6 matches they played in 2011, that was the most abysmal one. Not only because it was filled with extremely patchy play with two completely empty sets (6-1 1-6), but also because Nadal just didn't compete like you expect him too.actually imho, the highest standard of play i have ever seen from Djokovic was Wimbledon 2011. i thought Nadal genuinely looked clueless.
2011 was Djokovic's peak year. I doubt he's getting back anytime soon.
I don't think he'll ever be as good as he was in 2011. He'll decline from his current level in the future, rather than improve on it.
He's 26, geez. He's got another 2 prime years to go, plus he peaked late. He isn't going to drastically drop his level any time soon like old man Federer.
Might be 26 but he's been top 3 since 2007 non-stop. He's still human after all. Like Rafa, his decline will probably be ugly to watch.