Roland Garros, Paris 2020

[don_budge]

Tsitsipas had a 40-0 lead at 2-2 and lost his serve. "Tour Gumby" pulled off two or three just impossible saves/shots to pull even and take the Tsitsipas serve. They don't call him "Tour Gumby" for nothing. Way out of position and seemingly off balance...yet he pulls it off. A real Houdini act. If Djokovic finishes off young "Zorba" I like him against Nadal. Speaking of Señor Skunk...he pulled off all of his antics without a hitch. Bouncing the ball 22 times at one point on a second serve. Why do the players just stand there and wait for him? Think creatively and do something...something to throw off his rhythm.

I remember looking at the expression on Novak Djokovic's face at this point in the match. Looking at his eyes. Being Novak Djokovic. Uncanny look. Hard to describe. The closest I can come is the look in Robert DeNiro's eyes in his role in "The Deer Hunter" where he is playing Russian Roulette with his Vietnamese captors in that hellhole he was trapped in. "You're gonna die Mother Fucker" he screamed and he was willing an empty chamber in his gun and then blew one away with the next chamber. Novak willed that break of serve. Stefanos hit some good shots but Novak just supremely willed the outcome in his favour. He ran out the set and I am almost certain he could have ended it in the third if he wanted to. I have seen that look before. It can come at any time but usually it comes at a point in the match where he turns the tide. Remember that return he hit against Federer...he had that look immediately after. A variation of. But still...it was the look. You're gonna die....

[don_budge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6oJb6IpbnU

[don_budge]

Novak Djokovic in "The Deer Hunter"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur1Kqs4IWew

[stroke]

Oddsmakers have installed Nadal as the favorite with about a 57% implied probability of winning. No surprise I guess as he has only lost 2 matches there since 2005. I think Stotty said it about right. These 3 now have destroyed the hope of 2 generations of tennis players. Thanks a lot psychos ha.

[stotty]

Understandable Rafa is favourite but I still think Novak can play to a level Rafa will find hard to match...on any surface. That said, I think Novak will need to come out of the blocks fast and nick the first set to give him the cushion he needs to then further set to work.

I have never seen any player lockdown like Novak can. His 5th set in the Wimbledon 2019 final was a masterclass in lockdown but he's done it countless times before. Novak will need to be incisive tomorrow but locking down will definitely be featuring should those tie-breaks and bigger moments come along.

[stroke]

I think it is clear Novak at his best is better than Rafa at his best, even on clay. We saw that clearly when he did best Rafa at FO quarters. He just needs to do it again. He is not the favorite because all know only the highest level he is capable of will beat Rafa. Toughest ask in sports. We all know what level Rafa is going to bring to the finals. It is always the same.

[don_budge]

Roland Garros Junior Boys...The Federer Effect (Dominic Stricker)

Switzerland hopefully connecting the dots...directly to "The Living Proof" aka Roger Federer. A 6' 1" lefty?

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/stri...020-boys-final

This from last year. The article notes that he has improved his serve. I would like to see the motion and will keep an eye out for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCDtD9orngc

[stroke]

Nadal hitting the ball extremely well(not a huge surprise) and is off to a 3-0 1st set lead with 2 breaks. Novak has already made this very difficult ask of beating Nadal much much harder. Maybe the only thing tougher than beating Nadal at FO is beating a front running Nadal at FO. Nobody enjoys putting on a beatdown like Nadal.

[stotty]

5-0 Nadal

Never seen Rafa start this well...incredible length. Novak just trying to hang on at the moment.

6-0 Nadal

Best set Rafa has ever played. Next two or three games in the set are vitally important for Novak

[stroke]

6-0 Nadal. If Novak can turn this around here vs Nadal, it has to be his best comeback ever. That 1st set had to sting. As strong mentally as Novak is, this may be ultimate test to stay mentally strong.

[arturohernandez]

Djokovic doesn't look 100% to me. Reminds me of Wimbledon last year. Where he looked sluggish.

[arturohernandez]

Just grabbed at his leg at 2-1 in the second. He is dinged up. I know he is accused of faking it but his body language has been off since the beginning. Tsitispas might have taken too much out of him.

[stotty]

6-0 4-1

Rafa keeping the door as firm shut as he possible can

[stroke]

This is something. Nadal 6-2 in 2nd. I don't think it is an injury. Nadal came out with his usual intensity and Novak has just not answered at all. Hard to imagine this happening to Nadal, losing 2 sets like this in a GS final.

[arturohernandez]

At the beginning of the 3rd we finally start to see Djokovic playing better. Nadal's level has dropped. But it's the fight I don't see in Djokovic's eyes. He looks like he knows he doesn't have it in him today.

He is missing ball at midcourt. Missing routine returns. Nadal is playing great. But Djokovic looks less than his normal self.