Djokovic lost due to one shot.

[GeoffWilliams]

It's called let the ball bounce on a short overhead, and don't run into the net, and gain a 5-3 lead, same shot in the 7-8 game missed wide. Iv'e seen all the top players make this same simple stupid mistake. Let it bounce and put in anywhere you want, or let it come down 3ms2.

[stotty]

Just unlucky

It's called let the ball bounce on a short overhead, and don't run into the net, and gain a 5-3 lead, same shot in the 7-8 game missed wide. Iv'e seen all the top players make this same simple stupid mistake. Let it bounce and put in anywhere you want, or let it come down 3ms2.

It was very windy. I think the ball was blowing back towards the net. Having made the decision to take it in the air, he stuck to it and ended up hitting it precariously close to the net. He got into a mess. What a shame. The match was maybe in the bag right there. I felt for him. It was amazing he recouped so well afterwards. It would have broken the spirit of most men immediately.

What a game...it had it all.

[seano10s]

Other Factors

I think his downfall started before the game even started. On the change over during an incredibly pressure filled match, he's still arguing with the umpire about the dryness of the backcourt. Maybe he had reached his match/shot tolerance and it was down hill from there. The last game was very uncharacteristic of Djokovic with how quickly in the points he made unforced errors. He looked "spent" to me.

[privas]

Last game

Last game was a sad ending to an epic match.

[stroke]

It would be hard to imagine Nadal going out of that match like that.

[stotty]

Nadal as tough as Gonzo

Missing that shot was costly and may have been the difference between winning and losing. But going into the fifth set I always felt Djokovic had to take off...run away with it. It looked for all the world as though he might, but as the set wore on, by 4-3 it was getting uncomfortably close, and when Djokovic finally lost that game, you had to fancy Nadal from 4-4 in the fifth. Nadal's tough, probably the toughest player ever...alongside Pancho Gonzales.

[GeoffWilliams]

INcReDiBlY tough. He could win 13 french opens, and play until he's 39. No one would ever break that total.

[DougEng]

It's called let the ball bounce on a short overhead, and don't run into the net, and gain a 5-3 lead, same shot in the 7-8 game missed wide. Iv'e seen all the top players make this same simple stupid mistake. Let it bounce and put in anywhere you want, or let it come down 3ms2.

A bit too pumped up and the feel for the need to attack Nadal when you have a chance. The one moment when patience is a virtue against Nadal. Djokovic has to remember he can beat Nadal in the longer rallies (during his streak against Nadal he was winning the longer rallies). Among the big four, Djokovic is most capable of missing overheads. Nadal is underrated in terms of how good his hands are and how well he plays inside the baseline (he rarely gives up a point when inside the baseline whereas Djokovic, Federer and Murray will make more mistakes).

[stroke]

A bit too pumped up and the feel for the need to attack Nadal when you have a chance. The one moment when patience is a virtue against Nadal. Djokovic has to remember he can beat Nadal in the longer rallies (during his streak against Nadal he was winning the longer rallies). Among the big four, Djokovic is most capable of missing overheads. Nadal is underrated in terms of how good his hands are and how well he plays inside the baseline (he rarely gives up a point when inside the baseline whereas Djokovic, Federer and Murray will make more mistakes).

This is so true. Nadal, with his extreme spin, hardly ever misses inside the baseline. I have never really thought about this. The other 3 do make more errors from this strong position.

[stotty]

This is so true. Nadal, with his extreme spin, hardly ever misses inside the baseline. I have never really thought about this. The other 3 do make more errors from this strong position.

Federer misses more inside the baseline than he used to. He was deadly inside the baseline, in the midcourt. This is the area, for me, where he has lost it. He loses more easily to Nadal than he used to because he makes far more errors than he once did.

I was at the 2008 Wimbledon final about 3 rows back. Nadal audibly tutted at times mid-rally if he hit balls short...Federer simply dispatched them. Nadal knew it was vital to keep the ball deep.

I don't know if you've ever seen Federer live at an event. When he's at full throttle it's a stunning sight. His forehand is the most beautiful shot.

[stroke]

Federer misses more inside the baseline than he used to. He was deadly inside the baseline, in the midcourt. This is the area, for me, where he has lost it. He loses more easily to Nadal than he used to because he makes far more errors than he once did.

I was at the 2008 Wimbledon final about 3 rows back. Nadal audibly tutted at times mid-rally if he hit balls short...Federer simply dispatched them. Nadal knew it was vital to keep the ball deep.

I don't know if you've ever seen Federer live at an event. When he's at full throttle it's a stunning sight. His forehand is the most beautiful shot.

I agree completely that Fed has the most stunning, technically efficient forehand ever. It is the prototype of Brain Gordon's type 3 forehand study. I just think the additional margains Nadal gets with his unparalleled spin, reduces his errors vs the other top 3, as Doug stated.