Djokovic Melted by Roddick, Federer Next; Dokic Loses at Australian Open

Oh my goodness, will all those people who were saying that the Federer Del Potro match was going to be close, kindly leave the room! Federer the mighty is most certainly back!

January 27th, 2009 at 10:25 am

Roger! smoking! #14 is very close….

January 27th, 2009 at 10:30 am

Check that stat… The Australian Open website is reporting that del Bagel won 6 points in the third set:
http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/stats/day14/1504ss3.html

January 27th, 2009 at 10:57 am

Roger’s performance was astounding – and I really believe he won not only the quarter-final match against his outclassed opponebt, but he almost assuredly has gained a spot in Sunday’s final, for Andy Roddick had said he was going to watch the Fed-DP match.

Yes, Andy has been training hard and working out and he beat Federer in Miami last year But this is a slam and if the forgot what happened the last time these two met in a slam it was Federer’s previously (prior to last night) most convincing win in a GS semi or better – 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.

And all that training and working out and practicing is good for Andy – he still has the drive. Good for him. But I fear that nothing is preventing Federer from winning GS # 14 this week.

January 27th, 2009 at 11:13 am

Margot,

Lefty has left the building…

Oh, before I crawl off, have to say that the Fed Express was well and truly back on track today – awesome display. Will never doubt him again.

January 27th, 2009 at 11:20 am

Roddick’s win over Djokovic, although well deserved, was obviously down to fitness. I don’t see either Federer or Roddick giving up the fight before the finish, so one of them will have to win 3 sets to win and Roddick has only ever won 7 sets against Federer in 17 meetings.

As for Djokovic – I just can’t understand how a player of this calibre can be so quick to quit. I know it was tough for him, but it seems to me he just bailed on the match. He didn’t even give Roddick a chance to drop his level or even see if they’d consider closing the roof. He just bailed.

This young man, who is 21 today is soon going to realize that the future is now, because every time he quits one of these matches, it’s a chance gone begging and you really never know how many you’re going to get. It’s like he’s saving himself for another day, but these are the days he’s supposed to be saving himself for, so I just don’t understand it.

With your shield or on it, Djoker – with your shield or on it.

January 27th, 2009 at 11:44 am

Yes, Federer is clearly back on form. Does anyone think it’ll be another Fed/Nadal final? I guess now Nadal has the longer road to get there, as he’ll have to get past Simon, and then likely Tsonga? If it is Nadal/Fed, does anyone think Nadal can win? I think if Fed gets to the final, and anyone besides Nadal does, then Fed will win. Of course, Simon is a bit of a question mark. He can and has beaten Fed, but Tsonga, I don’t think so. Tsonga is the type of power player Fed can beat, but Simon is more like Nadal and Murray, and I think he could hurt “the Fed” if he gets there.

About JMDP, I did not think he could beat Fed (never has), and I expected a scoreline similar to the last time they played: 6-3, 6-3… or some such. That Fed fed him 2 bagels shows that last night Fed was playing great tennis (didn’t stay up to see it) and that JMDP has a lot more work to do. He’ll stay in the top ten probably, as he is consistent, but to really move up, he’ll have to improve. He knows this now, i am sure!

January 27th, 2009 at 11:54 am

MMT: I agree “I just can’t understand how a player of this calibre can be so quick to quit. ” In his press conference one of the reporters asked if he maybe just needs to learn to “trust” his body more and I thought what a good question. But Djoko skirted and basically asked the reporter to morph into his body and then decide. Well, it’s true. Others can never really understand how a person feels. BUT COME ON. Djoko should have finished that match. Eat a bagel if you have to. Or another 2-6 set. Just finish and be a man about it.

That’s why this time I think the Tennis X “barbers” got it right:

“How soon will Novak Djokovic complete the retirement slam (retiring at all four Slams) and retire at the US Open? This year?”

If Djokovic wants to keep supporters and prove himself this is NOT the way to do it. I fear, as Voicemale1 said, that he’ll end up like a Safin or Baggy, if he doesn’t get it together soon. I just find it sad as I do love his game when it’s firing. He can be a very exciting player to watch.

Kudos to both Roddick and Djokovic for being honest in their press conferences, and not re-hashing old grudges. But now it’s time for Djoko to be more honest with himself, I think?

January 27th, 2009 at 12:01 pm

Jane: If Simon and Federer play the final, for example, I don’t believe the french man is gonna win. Tsonga, Murray, who played their firt slam final in 2008 didn’t react well to the pressure on them and Simon certainly won’t. But first he’s gotta defeat both Nadal and *Tsonga* (? – sorry verdasco. I think he can do it, but it will be his hardest mission so far.

January 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm

Lefty, do come back in! That was a massive piece of humble pie you ate -enough! Now tell me folks, is Federer the greatest tennis player ever on hard and grass? Next for me, Tsonga is one of the most exciting players around and has the talent to beat anyone. Jane, you said he was just a hard hitter, obviously you haven’t been watching the way he moves round the court. He’s a hurricane.

January 27th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

Djokovic-Roddick should have been a night match.
Better match-up than Fed-Del Potro + involves defending champion.

January 27th, 2009 at 12:58 pm

Fed will kill R-Dick and then Rafa will kill Fed.

January 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm

I really think it’s premature to talk about the final. First, Nadal and Simon is no walkover – the frenchmann is a good player and beat Nadal the last time they played. I think Nadal will take it, but it’s not a gimme. Also, I don’t know how anyone can look past Verdasco – Tsonga is playing well, but who knows how well he’ll do in a 5 setter, which I suspect this will be.

I think Nadal will take Simon, and Verdasco will beat Tsonga, and if Verdasco beats Murray and Tsonga consecutively, why couldn’t he beat Nadal? I would be very surprised if Tsonga beat Verdasco given that it’s going to be a day match, he’s very fit, and Tsonga still has a back problem.

January 27th, 2009 at 1:18 pm

roger federer has now beaten two journeymen, two flaky headcases and one useless argentine …

andy roddick has beaten a top 3 player to made the semis of a slam which puts tennis-x staff in a really awkward position…

rafael nadal’s easy path to the final is clearer than murray’s skin…

verdasco has ruined tennis-x staff’s life… put on suicide alert stat

simon gets no love from anybody… last years finalist tsonga is completely ignored

January 27th, 2009 at 1:26 pm

You all either didn’t see last night’s matches, or just don’t believe that this comeback is so beyond what Lendl did when he regained the world’s #1 spot 20 years ago.

Roger Federer lost 2 sets the other night. My guess is that those are the only sets he will lose at the AO this year.

Nothing like a 5-set wakeup call.

Roddick is fit, and has arguably the most powerful serve in tennis. But he doesn’t disguise it well and Federer will have no trouble moving Roddick around the court at Laver and will be through this quicker than you can say “Well, That has to make Del Porto feel a little better.”

PETE SAMPRAS – 18 Grand Slam final appearances, winning his 14th title in the 18th and last.

ROGER FEDERER – 17 Grand Slam final appearances, winning his 13th title in the last one he played in.

Does anyone really think Federer will not be holding the trophy high on Sunday? He wants this more than anything. A healthy Federer still has a way of getting what he wants.

Anyone?

January 27th, 2009 at 1:56 pm

if roger plays nadal he will lose. anyone else he will win.

January 27th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

Margot,

Ok, I am back in from the cold.
Suffering from a bit of indigestion though ;-)

Wow! I don’t think Fed will be on Nole’s Christmas card list. Reading between the lines, it sounds like he feels that Novak threw the match because he was taking a beating. “He did the same against me last year because he had a sore throat”.

Despite Nole’s backslapping and hugging of opponents might make him some friends but it wont earn him much respect.

I am not expecting the other mens quarters to be one-sided affairs.

Time to do some work so I can take the morning off for Nadal v Simon…

January 27th, 2009 at 2:05 pm

Hey, everybody, another post from Tennis Bullies! Wow, talk about useless! Can’t wait for the next one.

January 27th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

It may have been Andre Agassi who said something along the lines of players needing to learn how to play in tough conditions, like hot days and/or windy days. Sometimes temperatures can be too dangerous for that type of continuous physical exertion over a 3-to-5-set period. The player who can take it the longest prevails. The U.S. Open has the wind and the Aussie Open has the heat. For the other two slams, it’s primarily a surface thing: the French Open has the moist/dry clay conditions, and Wimbledon has the dirt patches and uneven grass. You have to deal with the conditions as they come. It’s part of the challenge of winning the big tournaments. I think Djokovic has a legit health issue to an extent, but it’s going to set him back if he continually can’t complete matches.

January 27th, 2009 at 2:31 pm

“andy roddick has beaten a top 3 player to made the semis of a slam ”

Which is the 1st time the donkey has beaten a top 5 player at a slam since the 2003 US open final. 1 top 5 player at a slam in 5yrs – wow! That is definitely Samprasesque numbers.

Declare him the Greatest of All time people.

The donkey will get his butt kicked by federer or nadal who are not sissies like djokovic.

January 27th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

margot,

Oh – I didn’t mean to imply Tsonga is not a very, very talented and exciting player! I think he is. What I meant to say was that generally Federer has been able to handle those kinds of players, the ones who go for winners/big serves or play more aggressively (witness his H2H with Roddick, for example). I think Tsonga fits into this category overall. Maybe not?

However, Federer seems to have a tougher time with ginders/runners or more defensive players: e.g., Rafa, Murray, Simon. These are the types of players who usually don’t crack or start spraying errors, and their persistence has seemed to work against Roger.

January 27th, 2009 at 2:48 pm

Spot on Jane – couldn’t agree with you more.

January 27th, 2009 at 2:56 pm

I agree with the visitor’s 2:31 post. Players have different dispositions and backgrounds: for e.g., Roddick is from Texas, whereas Djokovic is from a skiing family and grew up in the mountains so likely they have different comfort levels with the heat. BUT. Roddick has worked on his fitness in the off-season and that was obvious. What about Novak? Has Djokovic done enough to learn how to cope with the heat/elements? I don’t think so. Even if he has legitimate health conditions, there are ways around those, ways that he could improve his odds when he faces them. He needs to get with the program, as they say.

Some of Djoko’s retirements have been fair enough, imo: I thought the Wimbledon 07 retirement wasn’t that bad because that was the year of the insane rain delays and day-after-day play, and he played 3 marathons in a row, which resulted in infected foot blisters. That would be difficult to play with. I don’t know much about the French 06 retirement, except the notorious comment, and that it was something to do with breathing, for which he’s since had surgery. Both of these seem like viable health conditions.

It this retirement that is the most bothersome to me; I really think he should’ve played out the match. Even if he couldn’t put in much effort. It would’ve been over soon enough anyhow. But what’s done is done. Nuff said from my end.

January 27th, 2009 at 3:03 pm

Ugh, yeah, it most likely would’ve been over soon enough. On the other hand, if Djokovic had delayed as much possible between points (even taking warnings or penalties), might it have cooled down enough for him to feel a bit better very soon considering the time of day and the movement of the shade? He did seem to look significantly better (to me his eyes were the clearest expression of his condition) for at least a few minutes after being iced down, so could he have bent the rules and been treated similarly again for an allegedly different condition? This is one time where I’d way rather have seen the player abuse the rules than just up and leave. Granted, it may not have made a hair of a difference either way, but now we’ll never know.

This was really sad. While he certainly wasn’t my pick to win on Sunday this time around, he clearly had a fighting chance if only he had given himself one.

Also, yeah, it’s pretty tough not to root for a retirement slam at least a little now. Blah.

January 27th, 2009 at 3:17 pm

Oh, I totally thought I was posting on the other thread… Oops.

January 27th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

I only saw the first two sets, and I thought Djokovic played awesome in the first set. I’m quite disappointed he retired again. This time heat stress, fatigure and breathing problems. I’ve picked on Djokovic before for his retirements but some of those were due to injury. This wasn’t an injury. He said he was feeling bad.

In the end, he couldn’t handle the tough conditions. Roddick could, and these are the kind of things expected of players, especially top 3 players. It’s going to be hard for him to win majors again if all the stars need to be aligned in order for it to happen. Perhaps he got lucky last year and got all night matches? I believe that might have been the case.

Now I really think people were unfair to Justine Henin for that pullout to Mauresmo. She had stomache pain which is pretty much the same “I don’t feel good, couldn’t play”. The only difference between her retirement and all these recent ones is that hers took place in a final, while these didn’t. I can’t think of any other reason why people took exception to it. If this match was a final, there would be a serious stigma attached to his name for this pullout.

Based on the first set, I thought he looked likely to win had conditions been more favourable to him, but that isn’t how tennis is. He’s going to have to work on adapting to the heat, because he’ll be facing it many more times in his career, especially down under.

January 27th, 2009 at 4:18 pm

“Rafael Nadal has lost two straight sets to Gilles Simon…”

That’s dumb. It just means he lost the last match. Two straight sets is not much of a streak. It hides the fact that he is 2-1 against Simon and beat him at the AO a year ago. It also doesn’t reveal the fact that the loss he took to Simon was 7-6 in the third, and he had match points.

Simon is the underdog, plain and simple.

January 27th, 2009 at 5:57 pm

Dan, Unfortunately I think you’re bang on in this quotation – both on the loss of intimidation and the hanging around: “Losing the pre-match intimidation factor really undercuts Novak who is one of my favorite players to watch.” Makes me both mad & sad.

January 27th, 2009 at 6:12 pm

MMT Says:

“I really think it’s premature to talk about the final. First, Nadal and Simon is no walkover – the frenchmann is a good player and beat Nadal the last time they played. I think Nadal will take it, but it’s not a gimme. Also, I don’t know how anyone can look past Verdasco – Tsonga is playing well, but who knows how well he’ll do in a 5 setter, which I suspect this will be.

I think Nadal will take Simon, and Verdasco will beat Tsonga, and if Verdasco beats Murray and Tsonga consecutively, why couldn’t he beat Nadal? I would be very surprised if Tsonga beat Verdasco given that it’s going to be a day match, he’s very fit, and Tsonga still has a back problem.”

If Verdasco’s match with Tsonga is going to be a five setter like you think it will, then I think the reason he can’t beat Nadal is because he’ll be spent. This is assuming that Nadal beats Simon, which I think he will. Simon is a good player, and won the last match, but Rafa had match points in that match and probably would have won if it was best of 5. Plus he beat Simon twice, including at AO 08. The advantage on paper is with Nadal.

visitor Says:

“It may have been Andre Agassi who said something along the lines of players needing to learn how to play in tough conditions, like hot days and/or windy days. Sometimes temperatures can be too dangerous for that type of continuous physical exertion over a 3-to-5-set period.”

He didn’t say that until after he retired. Easy to say when you no longer have to back your mouth. He was taking at least three cortisone injections per year just to maintain a light schedule, so when the chips are down, I’m not sure if he can really talk.

“The player who can take it the longest prevails. The U.S. Open has the wind and the Aussie Open has the heat. For the other two slams, it’s primarily a surface thing: the French Open has the moist/dry clay conditions, and Wimbledon has the dirt patches and uneven grass. You have to deal with the conditions as they come. It’s part of the challenge of winning the big tournaments. I think Djokovic has a legit health issue to an extent, but it’s going to set him back if he continually can’t complete matches.”

Wimbledon has the rain delay problems. I forgot what tribulations the French offered, but there was something, apart from the grueling nature of the surface.

Dan Martin Says:

“Giner I think guys in the locker room have to believe if they can hang around vs. Nole they can beat him. Losing the pre-match intimidation factor really undercuts Novak who is one of my favorite players to watch.”

Anybody has to like their chances against him if they know it’s going to be a hot day. It’s not entirely his fault if his body wasn’t made for the punishment, but he hasn’t done all that he can to mitigate his handicap either.

My beef with him isn’t the fact that he retired. I truly believe he couldn’t go on. My beef is with the fact that he couldn’t go on.. That he couldn’t handle the conditions that other players could. He should have expected this to happen at some point, and taken steps to address it. Retirements are ok with me if the player can’t play. What bothers me is why or how they got into that situation in the first place.

It’s not fair for him, and I never claimed that it was. Some people come from colder climes and aren’t used to the heat. But there’s no other fair way to do things.

He’s also unlucky that his countrywoman Dokic (representing Australia) made it as far as she did. AO likes to play Aussies during prime time, which meant he had to wait for her to finish. Normally that isn’t a problem because Aussies all get eliminated early anyway, so they don’t need to schedule the rest of the tournament around them. But this time Dokic vastly exceeded all expectations (I was anticipating a first round loss and definitely a second round loss to Chaky if she made it that far) and became the story of the tournament.

January 27th, 2009 at 6:25 pm

Yeah, looks like Djokovic is going for the “Retirement Slam” — only needs 1 more GS retirement to achieve that prize. Besides Djoker, other good nicknames for him are Dfaker and No-way Nole. Why haven’t his PR people translated how many Euros he loses from this shabby behavior?

January 27th, 2009 at 8:48 pm

Cliff Drysdale should know better.
A great game and great effort by Andy Roddick against Novak Djokovic was obvious.
Cliff Drysdale during whole game gets Novak pinned about his conditions, heat, lazyness, etc.
To remind old Cliff that a heat that day gets into the neighbourhood of 55C what cloberred Novak.
Today old already expired Cliff gets the comments about closed roof and right temperarute what of course helps both players and not placarding any of players as favorites or not.
Cliff should udnerstand that he comments to people / audience, who sometimes do not understand his flimsy approach towards a certain player, such as Novak, who is of course is not coming from his favoite field.

Sorry Cliff, get a Hennesy and say good bye to that microphone, a time has come.

ESPN should have better choices than expired old time under ordinary tennis player.

January 28th, 2009 at 1:26 am

I am really sorry that Djokovic couldn’t finish the match.
But comeone, let’s all be realistic! They do it for themselves and the money. I suppose that all those who got uppset by all this don’t earn even 1/100 of all those tennis players. Why you waste your energy?? Go back to your arm-chair and finish that potato-chips (and maybe some icecream :P), while watching them earning their money!

January 29th, 2009 at 3:26 am