Sunday, 3 April 2011
Djokovic - Perfect Record on The Line
Tennis fans who bought Sunday tickets for the Sony Ericsson Open got a dream final — No. 1 Rafael Nadal, looking for his first title in Miami, against No. 2 Novak Djokovic, the jocular Serb who is on a 25-match win streak.
Both players have dominated here over the past 10 days, holding 87 of 88 service games and dropping just one set in 10 combined matches. The last time the top two players met in a final in Key Biscayne was 1995, when No. 2 Andre Agassi defeated No. 1 Pete Sampras in a third-set tiebreaker.
Although Nadal is the top player in the world, and he made Roger Federer look ordinary in a much-hyped semifinal Friday night, Djokovic is the slight favorite. He is unbeaten this year and has won all three tournaments he entered — the Australian Open, Dubai and Indian Wells two weeks ago, when he beat Nadal in three sets in the final. Djokovic also won the Sony title in 2007.
"I don't feel that I can't lose on the court," said Djokovic when asked if he feels invincible. "What I feel is big confidence. What I feel is that I'm playing the best tennis of my life. This is as simple as that."
Mardy Fish, who lost to Djokovic 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals, simplified it.
"It's his playground right now," Fish said. "He's moving better than anyone right now on a hard court, no doubt about it. He's not losing games. He's crushing us. But he's got to lose some time — maybe.''
Djokovic's 23-0 start to the year is the best since 1986, when Ivan Lendl started the season 25-0.
Once known as much for his spot-on impersonations as his movement and blistering groundstrokes, Djokovic is no longer the court jester.
He's still funny in his free time, but when he's on the court, he's all business. Nadal is determined to play the Serb more aggressively than he did two weeks ago.
"He's playing fantastic, and I just can congratulate him about what he did the first three months of the season," Nadal said. "I felt I had a chance in Indian Wells. I lost a little bit [of] the focus and the rhythm on the second set, the intensity of the legs and the shots, so I started to play more defensive. Against a player like Novak, it's impossible to win the match playing like this. On Sunday, I have to play aggressive all the points.''
Asked for his favorite in the final, Federer gave Nadal a slight edge:
"I think it's pretty open because of how Rafa played [in the semifinal] and how he can play in finals. I think it would be nice for him to win here for the first time. He should have beaten me here six years ago, I was down two sets to love and a break, if I'm not mistaken. So he should have gotten that one, but I snuck that one out on him. Novak has been playing great this season, but I think Rafa is going to give Novak a run for [his] money, and I'm going to pick Rafa."
Djokovic insists he isn't letting the winning streak get to him.
"It's a mental game, and I'm just trying to take one match at a time and mentally be motivated to have even more success," he said. "I don't really think about how long this winning streak is going to go for, who I'm going to lose to. I'm just thinking about my next opponent."
Watch out Rafa.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Nadal v Djokovic - Live Final Chat
Link from Tennis.com here
Novak Djokovic - Semi Final Press Conference
Q. Would it be fair to say you were a little happy to see the rain?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it would be. After I came back from the rain delay, from the locker room and the break that we had, I felt different on the court.
First couple of games was quite strange. The wind of blowing. It was quite humid. Just different conditions, I guess.
I came to the match not really moving well, and was just lucky enough not to go a break down.
Q. You were skidding a lot. It was almost like you were playing clay court tennis for a while. Were you having trouble with the footing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's been like that for a while. I been sliding on every surface that I know, because that's just the way that I move.
I knew that he's going to be aggressive and come to the net often, so I needed to defend well. I did. I wish I just played a little bit better from the baseline.
But what I think made the difference today is my first serve. I got a lot free points there.
Q. When you get off to a patchy start like today, aside from the rain, is the fact that you've been winning for the last three months, is that something you draw on?
You talked about confidence. Is that where that really comes into play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I guess it's a very mental game in the end. If you have a little mental advantage over your opponent knowing that you won against him every time you played and are very confident and winning a lot matches lately, I guess it's something that kind of guides me to the victory.
Q. What do you on breakpoints this tournament that just seems you're impossible to break? Today was key in the first set at 15 40 when Mardy was serving 3 5 and he hit a serve like right at you.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Ah, it was I can't say I've played that point well. It was just lucky that I read his intention with the drive forehand volley. I stayed on the same side and I hit as hard as I can through the middle and he put his volley out.
Yeah, as I said, you got to have some luck as well in some moments. When I held that serve, it was a different story in the second set. I kind of felt better and more comfortable on the court.
But any time I was breakpoints down and in trouble I served out really well. That's something that makes me happy.
Q. It looks as though when you're in those pressure situations you're able to find another gear and sort of just get an extra level. What is that? Is it focus and concentration kicks in a little bit more?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, yes, focus and just trying to get it right. You know, you obviously feel pressure and tension in these moments when you're breakpoint down, especially at this level where you know if you lose your serve it's going to be very hard to get it back.
But, you know, I tried to, you know, kind of play simple that stage. Tried to hit some good serves and hit one, two, shots, and it works okay.
Q. You said something in Portuguese. You tried to talk about Brazil. Are you planning to go there and maybe learn some soccer with Guga?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I got a lot of messages on Twitter from Brazilian fans. Yeah, but don't expect me to talk in Portuguese. I can't. I cheated, okay, so I kind of looked at a translation.
Q. You looked at a translation?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. So I have written couple of words, just words of appreciation for their support. That's all.
But I got in touch with Guga about eventually coming to Brazil and playing an exhibition there. Hopefully we can make that happen in the near future.
Q. Brad Gilbert forgot ask you the big question. You're going to watch from your hotel, but who do you think will win and who do you want to win?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's a question that I can't give you answer on, because I really don't prefer anybody of those two. (Laughing.)
They just have a fantastic rivalry, and it would be really interesting to see their match tonight, you know, to see who's going to win and prevail.
We obviously expect a great fight. They're both big champions, great players. You know, they have been so dominant in the last couple of years.
Whoever I play, I obviously wouldn't feel like a favorite on the court.
Q. You have an edge on Rafa on hardcourt, I think; not with Roger. If you're going to get Rafa, I guess you prefer a hardcourt; is that right?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I really don't know what to answer, you know. Both of them are playing great tennis over the years regardless what surface. They're such great competitors and tennis players that it doesn't matter really. Slow, fast, you know, they're always playing on a very high level.
So in order for me to win and by the way, it is a final, so in order for me to win I will be have to be on the top of my game against either of those two players.
Q. Do you think it was good to get a day match in before a final that's going to be at lunchtime just to get a sense...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. Yeah, I didn't play a single match this year before today's semifinal during the day. It was all during the night, so it took me time to get used to conditions. It was good. I got a sense of what it might be like.
Q. You've been playing with a strap on your knee for a while. Any concern there? Seemed like one game you might have tweaked it a little bit.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, it was just a quick move. Luckily it's nothing serious. You know, I carried this minor discomfortable I could say in my knee since Australia this year. So since then I been wearing the strap on my knee. Just preventional. Nothing that keeps me away from sliding.
Q. Have you been following the record, your match records that you've been creeping up on guys. Are you looking at this at all? How important is it for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, of course to be a part of history it's always a big pleasure and honor. I've been telling to my team, Don't come up with any records or anything. I just want to take one match at a time. So far it's been like that.
Q. You've been pressing the top of the rankings for years. A few years ago I remember you going like this a lot. (Holding up index finger.) It was when Federer was kind of in a slump. Do you feel that...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't understand. What do you mean?
Q. You were like saying No. 1 or whatever this gesture meant after you would win a match.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. No, it's not true.
Q. It's not true?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No.
Q. Anyway, do you feel like this is your time or do you have any sense of invincibility now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I don't feel invincible. I don't feel that I can't lose on the court.
What I feel is big confidence. What I feel is that I'm playing best tennis of my life. This is as simple as that.
As I said before, it's mental game, so physically I've been working very hard and dedicating a lot of time to some elements in my game, like serve, and it's paying off now.
I feel that I'm serving as best as I think ever. It's really important to have this advantage obviously, because today there is so many great returners and movers, so to get a couple of free points on your serve a crucial.
I'm just trying to take one match at a time and mentally be motivated to have even more success. That's about all. You know, I don't really think about how long this winning streak is gonna go for, who I'm going to lose to.
I'm just thinking about my next opponent and what I need to do to win.
Novak Djokovic - On court interview
Friday, 1 April 2011
Djokovic - Semi Final photos
Djokovic - Best Returner in Tennis
Roger Federer had hit one of those perfectly placed, half-slice serves about an inch inside the sideline — a ball that does not come back against 99.9 percent of the players on the ATP Tour.
But there was Djokovic, his body already into an extreme lean a split-second after the serve was hit, and his racket so fully extended that he struck the return from beyond the doubles sideline. Not just struck it, but returned it with enough pace that Federer didn't have a gimme second shot.
Novak Djokovic
Even though Federer's back-up ground stroke had plenty of pace to the backhand corner, there was Novak, a bit off-balance from a mad dash but with sufficient power in his wrists to lash a cross-court pass for the winner.
David Ferrer? Great service returner. Very quick-twitch feet. Nikolay Davydenko? Superb serve returner. Makes you work for every point. Rafa Nadal? Well, what needs to be said about his returning.
But if you had to pick out just one player who is, today, the best returner in tennis, it's Djokovic, who is, with very little doubt, also the toughest man to ace on the ATP Tour.
How tough? Federer had just one ace in that Indian Wells semifinal — an unheard of number for the former No. 1 player. One ace in a three-set match in which Federer had 13 service games.
In three matches this year against Djokovic, all losses, Federer has served 39 games for 11 aces.
A lot has been written about Djokovic's precise serving, his court coverage and his metronomic ground stroking — all key facets of his game. But, for me, the single ingredient that has separated him from the pack in 2011 is his returning.
The inability to get free points off this guy not only makes him a threat to break in almost every opponent's service game, but there is the added intimidation of his victims.
In the Indian Wells final, Nadal had perhaps the worst serving match since ascending to tennis' elite — under 50 percent first serves in as he tried to pump up the speed to compensate for Novak's returning. He lost in three sets.
The art of the service return doesn't make too many TV sports replay segments, but if you value highly the more significant skills in tennis, you need to spend time watching Nole at work against a top server.
Wednesday at the Sony Ericsson Open, for example, Djokovic held tall, power-serving Kevin Anderson, who had 37 aces for the tournament coming into the match, to just four. And the first was, in fact, a fault which, for some odd reason, Nole refused to challenge.
It's not just warding off aces that makes him the best returner in the game. Getting a racket on the ball is only one part of the equation, along with getting the ball into play and getting it back deep enough to get into the point. Djokovic has that entire package.
He's had some matches this year in which he gave up a significant number of aces, but it was to players who are capable of rolling up big numbers on a hot-serving day. Tomas Berdych had nine aces against Nole at Dubai a few weeks ago and Feliciano Lopez had seven in the same tournament.
Two of the biggest servers in the game are Ivo Karlovic and Andy Roddick. Djokovic last played Ivo three years ago and gave up 20 aces, but you could argue that was another Djokovic in another time. The last four times he's played Roddick, he's given up 21 aces — well under Roddick's average.
Great service returning requires fresh legs, even after three hours on court, and it's amazing to see Nole is this heightened state of fitness, because he's been going almost non-stop since last season, playing the Davis Cup final against France in the first week of December and then having very little time off to rest before preparing for 2011.
Yet he's showing no signs of tiring. In these last two tournaments, both ATP 1000s (Indian Wells and Key Biscayne), Djokovic has played 10 matches and been aced just 21 times in 84 service games. That's one ace every four serving games.
You won't have any difficulty arguing that he has evolved into the best returner in tennis.