He's better than Federer now I think. But he is still a class below a fit Nadal. But Rafa's injuries could see Novak go to no. 1 this year.
Australian Open 2011
- Thread starter Ole's_toe_poke
- Start date
I'm not so sure right now.
I'm not saying Djokovic > Nadal because he has a long way to go to surpass him (based on success clearly), but when he is at the top of his game he can beat Nadal. Right now, this is the best Djokovic I have seen. I'm forgetting previous form, because he had a shit load of issues with these breathing problems, injuries and the fecking racket.
There was a match last year, where Djokovic spanked Nadal 6-1 in a set, then just lost it the next. It's going to be interesting to see how he handles this new success boost.
Sure, but like I said a moment ago - I'm looking at his form right now. I think he has turned a corner, but I hope he can build on it and really give the #1 a run for his money.
I'm not sure about the points situation, but I would imagine it would be close.
He's clearly better than Federer now. But Federer still has his superb fitness, which is what will continue to keep him on par with them really. In fitness ranks, you'd have Fed #1 and in consistency probably #2 behind Nadal. He'll continue as an elite player(top 5) as long as he can continue to make Slam QF's near effortlessly and keeps his body in great condition.
Well tbh Djoko WAS on the top of his game in New York and lost to an inform Rafa there. The two of them are clearly the best players right now though and it'll be an interesting rivalry...if it develops.
This. Federer's fitness is brilliant. That's the reason Nadal will never touch Fed's record. He just does not look after his body as well as Fed has done over the years. But it's the different styles of play as well which are to blame.
I believe there's more to come from Federer - he'll have a 'barren' spell (for him) then I think he'll really get his head on trying to get to twenty He's young enough, has the talent, has done it before and has a brilliantly healthy body
I can see him getting back with a vengeance
I can see him getting back with a vengeance
I can't really. He's not been in a Slam final for 4 Slams now which is amazing. He's turned 30.
Winning 20 means winning 4 more Slams which i just can't see happening.
Pretty much what i expected. Djoko in 3 or Murray in 5 and Novak started fast and played a brilliant game. Murray again felt the pressure and couldnt serve well and was forced into so many unforced errors. (which makes no sense)
For everyone who gets so annoyed with the media going Murray mad (in the UK) they probably dont realize that is a contributing factor to the emmense pressure put on him to win. So for those people they should love the media
For everyone who gets so annoyed with the media going Murray mad (in the UK) they probably dont realize that is a contributing factor to the emmense pressure put on him to win. So for those people they should love the media
Felt really sorry for Murray today - came up against a player in a streaky vein of form and he knew it from the off. He's got to surely dispense with his Mum and the others as coaches now and get someone who knows how to win Grand Slams...
On the plus side, Ana Ivanovic looked worth a ride in the crowd today...
On the plus side, Ana Ivanovic looked worth a ride in the crowd today...
God I hope this isn't the future of Mens tennis. Andy Murray has no heart, no bottle. You just knew if he lost that 1st set, he would cave, and despite Djokovic offering him quite a few opportunities, he simply couldn't get it done.
Being a 3 time GS loser isn't damning, the lack of fight he showed however is. As soon as things got tough, he started to be negative, abuse himself.
Being a 3 time GS loser isn't damning, the lack of fight he showed however is. As soon as things got tough, he started to be negative, abuse himself.
Aye, she does her best work without a racquet in her hand.
True
Thing is there's 'losing' and there's losing in a particular way - if you give everything and at least make your opponent beat you, make him have to win, then you can take positivity into the future and work on the smaller things to attempt a change
However if you simply cave in after 50 minutes and offer token resistance you're simply telling everybody as soon as it gets to this level, to this high pressure stage, you're just gonna hand it over, which unfortunately is where Andy Murray is right now
His whole demeanour and body language throughout that match was abysmall - a lamb to the slaughter.
He needs to change his envoirment imo get away from his comfort zone of the friends / family surrounding him - no doubt telling how great he his. A bit of unbiased reality from a neutral coaching team will be the only way he can change things imo but he'll need inner courage to do that
We'll see
TO be fair over the last few years Djokovic has shown that sort of attitude. Quit in a lot of matches, looked on the slide, couldnt serve and this season his improvements have been remarkable. To dismantle Berdyich, Federer adn then Murray in the mannor he did is something nobody would have expected.
Murray is having a mental block i think. He cant serve well in GS finals and he makes more mistakes than ever. He needs to play his normal game without pressure. TO do this he needs to just go in with the same attitude he does in almost every other match.
Murray is having a mental block i think. He cant serve well in GS finals and he makes more mistakes than ever. He needs to play his normal game without pressure. TO do this he needs to just go in with the same attitude he does in almost every other match.
Well tbh he was crumbling big time against Ferrer as well where only his serves saved him. He's gone backwards since that final last year.
He was shit in the first set and a half against Ferrer then picked it up and played fairly well. There were times against Novak where he was hitting it well but he just isnt naturally an offensive player which hurts him. When he had him on the ropes he couldnt close the points the way a Federer/Nadal etc would. He'd allow him back into it.
To be fair i have never seen Djokovic play better, Murray hit maybe two outstanding shots all game yet that very same shot was coming so much easier and so much more frequently to Djokovic.
To be fair i have never seen Djokovic play better, Murray hit maybe two outstanding shots all game yet that very same shot was coming so much easier and so much more frequently to Djokovic.
Considering all the players that seem to be coming up are starting to be in the Soderling/Berdych mould. Tall, big serve and huge grounstrokes. The future looks much more bleak than today.
Unsurprising result today, Djokovic would have had to be a mug not to win.
I haven't seen the match yet but I thought Murray would lose. He seems to have the fighting spirit when he plays Rafa or Roger in semis because he is expected to lose against them realistically, but when he plays gets to the final he seems to bottle it. I honestly think if he doesn't win one this year he won't. I too don't think Roger is done yet. He could win Wimbledon again or the U.S. Open but I doubt he'll get to 20. I'd say maybe 18 with luck and if he keeps fit. Rafa is more worrying as his style of play is so physical it's killing his body. He will need to find a way to shorten points if he is to keep at the top for another 3 or 4 years.
No way is Djokovic better than Federer. I still feel if Roger plays his best he will win most of everything. But at his age it is harder to produce a top performance consistently. If Roger had won the 2nd set in the semi I'm sure he would have won that match but for some reason he goes "walkabout" these days. But with Paul Annocone as his coach now I think they are working on things to prolong Roger's career. After all Annacone managed to get a U.S. Open win out of Sampras when Sampras was older and had been playing badly for 2 years so there's hope for Roger yet.
Fed can play at his best for 40% of his match. He just hits way too many unforced errors now. He's still however better than vast majority of the players but when he comes up against really good players then 40% is not enough. He's started to shank a lot. That one handed backhand is targetted a lot by Djoko/Nadal.
He'll get to 18 maybe but hard to see him being in finals all the time now. He's not been in a final for 4 Slams now
Yep, first time since 2003 when he isn't the holder of any slam.
Murray in big matches never takes the game to the opponent it's often a 'we'll see who makes mistakes first' attitude from him.
Tennis is a game where the very best players take it forward in a destructive manner - hitting close to the lines, big serving, mixing up the game when things are going wrong - hitting short lifeless balls to break the opponents rhythm (McEnroe was a master of this stuff). All these things are what Murray has never done - it's actually another level and has more to do with the way he thinks about it than can actually play it - he's often content to just get the ball back and at the very top, under pressure, you will get found out
bigtime
Murray vs Nadal at the Aussie Open last year and Murray vs Nadal at the USO semis in 2008?
...?
He certainly took it to Nadal in those games. It's not like he "never" does it. He can do it but I just think he feels the pressure in the finals. If he can destroy Nadal like he had done on those 2 occasions means he does have the mentality to do it again but it's been all downhill since the Aussie Open last year.
But that's the point, they are one off's, quarters etc when it comes to the moment that matters - actually putting away an opponent in the final
(no matter who it is) it's way beyond him
He can never sustain 'form' which is what great players do - week in week out
For some players aggressive tennis is a natural way to be on the court. if you have to keep telling yourself to be 'aggressive' and 'positive' then it's already something you must lack
Let's face it here we're not talking about a player that wants to stay and be happy at no 3/4 in the world ( maybe he does i dont know) but if a player is stepping into the shoes of the number ones, winning slams then sulking about being 'tired' or whatever fills your mind when it should be in the centre of a point is not where you should be
imo Its too much of an effort for Murray to get to the heights required to sustain a slam and No1 challenge on a consistant basis - he has everything but the mentality - okay maybe he does not have the serve as well but that can be worked on but work needs to be done upstairs in his head more than any other aspect
Murray should get a Slam at some point. The draw will work out for him although he couldn't have had it any easier as he did right now. Only one really difficult opponent.
Mind you they said the same about "Tiger" Tim and he never even got to a Slam final.
Mind you they said the same about "Tiger" Tim and he never even got to a Slam final.
That's the important bit. Some will agree and some will disagree but IMO if Federer plays his best tennis he just will win, he's impossible to stop at his best. Simply too much talent. But it happens in tiny spurts of at max a set these days. And it gets shown up against the better players. At the heart of the matter is the errors. It's just almost become a part of his game. Just a shame to watch one of the two best sportsman I've ever seen fall like this. Happens to them all I guess.Fed can play at his best for 40% of his match. He just hits way too many unforced errors now. He's still however better than vast majority of the players but when he comes up against really good players then 40% is not enough. He's started to shank a lot. That one handed backhand is targetted a lot by Djoko/Nadal.
He'll get to 18 maybe but hard to see him being in finals all the time now. He's not been in a final for 4 Slams now