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Yup. But this match had nothing to do with Djokovic other than his steadiness. Federer went on the boil and stayed there-- Dubai. Went in and out of his boil-- Indian Wells.
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I didn't see the Dubai match but heard many good things about it. But to me, in the Indian Wells final, Djokovic was head and shoulders the better player. Federer could make no dents whatsoever and it looked for all the world like a forgone conclusion the match would over in two straight sets. Next thing you know, Djokovic blinked...the double faults...the crowd.Originally posted by bottle View Post
But normal service was resumed in set three. I cannot see anyone beating Djokovic on a surface like that...but on grass......
StottyComment
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The Dubai court surface was faster and the bounce lower, optimal for Federer.
Djokovic is number one, but his matches are a yawn... No variation, just incessant baseline bashing. I usually do not watch his matches, unless against an entertaining player like Federer, Nishikori, etc.Comment
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I thought it was one of Novak' best performances. He did falter a bit and lost the 2nd set. More impressively, he just went back to work in the 3rd, no drama, and took the match. It was very impressive ball striking by both players. It took that level of ball striking to illicit some ue's from Roger.Comment
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I just cannot help enjoying watching someone that good. He is awfully good.Originally posted by gzhpcu View Post
Strange because I remember you were staunchly anti-Federer at one time...at least from point of view of his character you were? You seem to really like the man now...or is it just his play you like so much? I love his play but have found him very banal at times. One of his post match Wimbledon interviews was a disgrace (the five set Roddick final).StottyComment
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The thing I like about Djokovic is that he makes the game look very boring and plain because of what he does with his athleticism. His ability to neutralize offense and then move back up to the baseline to attack is just amazing to me.Originally posted by gzhpcu View Post
Do you remember how Federer would silence the audience by completely constricting his opponents?Comment
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I just like his play, and talent to mix groundstrokes with volley play. I think he has calmed down characterwise now that he has nothing left to prove...Originally posted by licensedcoach View PostComment
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Question is: can he still play at a high level at Federer's age? Novak and Rafa are awfully physical...Originally posted by lobndropshot View PostComment
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Novak will be 28 this year
I Hope Novak is around that long. It seems like players are enjoying longer careers. I can't think of the last Grand Slam he had to take off for injury. There was a period of time where he had to figure out a few physical issues. But those seem to be gone. He could be around for awhileComment
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Yes, this is the same conclusion I have come to over time.Originally posted by gzhpcu View PostStottyComment
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Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic…2015 BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells
Originally posted by stroke View PostFederer vs. Djokovic…DubaiOriginally posted by gzhpcu View Post
Federer vs. Djokovic…Indian Wells
Same two players. Same size tennis court. Two completely different matches and a different result.Originally posted by lobndropshot View Post
There is much to be said and discussed about the players, their respective games. The subject of the court surface becomes the ultimate discussion in trying to understand the difference between the two finals. Throw in a rather lengthy discussion about psychology, tactics and overall…"Match Play and the Spin of the Ball".
The final in the 2015 BNP Paribas Open was no less a dazzling display of tennis than was the 2015 Dubai Open final. Both players playing at a level that is difficult for the mere mortal to comprehend. Novak Djokovic certainly played at a very, very high level for the duration of the whole match. He stumbled…but the guy on the other side of the net certainly had a lot to do with that as he also was playing at a very high level.
Novak for his part may very well have won this match when Bernard Tomic backed out of his quarterfinal date with him. That little breather may have been just the bit of rest that he needed to withstand the onslaught of Roger Federer. This of course can be looked at from a couple of different points of view but from all indications the rest was very beneficial to him. While he was resting his semifinal opponent Andy Murray was toiling with the likes of Feliciano Lopez. His finals opponent was duelling with the likes of Tomas Berdych. It certainly took X amount of energy to get past these two guys without the benefit of a day off. It all adds up in the end…in the equation of energy out…recovery…ready to go again.
In the first set Novak came out with some unbelievable energy. Fit as a fiddle and fresh as a daisy. Roger, on the other hand, played an unbelievable match against the up and coming Milos Raonic and for his part he looked like it. Djokovic was just a bit sharper in every category of the game and he had Federer on his heels right from the get go. He was making Roger work much harder on his serve than he had to work on his own. He was taking care of his own serve very nicely and winning in the neighbourhood of 100% of points when he got his first serve in. Federer was paying energy taxes from the very beginning to say nothing of his efforts to recover from the daily grind of the tournament. This is not meant to be an excuse for Federer…I am only balancing the equation and reducing it to it Lowest Common Denominator (LCD).
I haven't seen Roger fight this hard in a long time…maybe ever. His tenaciousness was just unbelievable. He was getting rocked on every single point…as stroke points out Djokovic was clearly as sharp as maybe I have ever seen him either. But Federer was fighting as if the lives of all of his children were on the line and while Djokovic was throwing his best knockout blows the entire match Federer just kept coming back for more. Just trying to put himself in position for a chance to seize the day…to seize the match.
His efforts and his tenacity paid off in the second set. Djokovic seemed to get a bit dizzy from the effort he was expending as well. He seemed to be on the ropes himself after almost punching himself out. Afterall he was throwing his best stuff nonstop and his opponent was not going away. Even though Federer may not have had his "A-game" he was making due with his "B-game"…just hanging around for a chance to slip the stiletto in. Between the ribs and into the heart of his opponent.
He managed to fight his way into a tie-breaker and his pluck and verve paid off. By this time I had turned off the sound of the announcers long before, as their commentary was as nauseating as could possibly be. They droned on and on with their superlatives, trying to outdo themselves for exclamations about the excellence of what we were witnessing. They were tripping all over themselves…instead of letting the match play speak for itself. Typical modern day nonsense…hype. But Djokovic faltered…sure he did. He himself said that he was battling his own nerves…perhaps second guessing himself about the high level he was playing at. He had to asking himself…can I sustain this in the face of Roger Federer? He answered his own questions, to be sure. But give Federer all of the credit for hanging in there against an opponent who was clearly on top of his game when he was not. This was tennis…there were all kinds of tactical ploys being played. Federer knew full well what he was up against but he never gave an inch.
In the third set we basically saw that the equation regarding the energy and recovery was being played out. Roger kept on fighting but Novak had recovered his footing and found the high level he had been on before he faltered. This is another facet of the game…being able to find your balance after losing it. Confidence plays a huge role here and obviously Djokovic had a lot going into this final. He also had the revenge motive and the age difference.
On top of everything else he had the court factor going for him. This slower and higher bouncing court plays directly into his wheelhouse as 10splayer likes to say. Everything was going his way. Just take a look at the highlights of both matches and you can see how the bounce and speed of the court can effect the game at the highest level. The subtle nuance of grip and spin become a discussion for Tilden disciples. This match was truly a match worthy of discussion when compared to the Dubai classic in terms of "MATCH PLAY AND THE SPIN OF THE BALL".
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