CURRENT ISSUE
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SEPTEMBER 2011
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| SOLVING THE DJOKOVIC DILEMMA |
| Sunday, 11 September 2011 09:43 |
By Alix Ramsay Last year, Rafael Nadal solved the conundrum of the US Open (and after the two weeks we have all had here this year, it would have been nice if Rafa could have given the rest of us a few pointers); this year he must solve the puzzle that is Novak Djokovic.Yet again, the world’s two best players will meet in the final on Monday but, twelve months on from his historic victory against the Serb, everything had changed for Nadal. When Nadal completed his career grand slam last September, he had Djokovic’s number. Djokovic had never beaten the then world No.1 in a final and, sure enough, he could not do it in Flushing Meadows. But then, just a few months later, Djokovic’s world changed for ever. He won the Davis Cup final for Serbia – and in Belgrade to boot – and suddenly he thought he could do anything on a tennis court. Five times he has faced Nadal in a final this season and five times he has walked away the winner. These days it is Nadal who looks and perplexed in the final and it is Djokovic who strides towards the silverware with purpose and belief. "This year I'm not having a lot of luck against him,” Nadal said. “I lost already five finals against him and I lost all of them. Hopefully New York can help me this time. "I didn't find a solution yet. But last year against him in the final I played a fantastic match so I will try to do the same, be aggressive with my forehand. I will try my best." Trying your best is not always enough against the current world No.1. Roger Federer tried it for the first two sets and a sizeable chunk of the fifth set of their semifinal but it was not enough. This was Federer as we have not seen him for some time – the serve was impregnable and the forehand was devastating. The backhand wasn’t half bad either. And still it was not good enough to beat the fearless Djokovic. For a little short of four hours, the two put on a display of strength, precision and nerve that time and again had the crowd on its feet. And still it was not enough for Federer.  It had not been enough last year, either. The two had met at the same stage, Federer had even held two match points but still he could not beat Djokovic. This time, he again held two match points in the fifth set – worse, he held them on his own serve – but again he lost. Admittedly, this time there was no accounting for what Djokovic did on the first match point. Laying into his return, he hit a scorching winner that landed plumb on the line. It was the sort of shot that no one could teach and no one in their right mind would attempt, but Djokovic had nothing to lose. “If it goes in, it goes in,” a relieved Djokovic said. “It’s a risk, you know. Last year was a very similar situation – he was two match points up and I was hitting a forehand just as hard as I can. You’re gambling: if it’s out, you lost and if it’s in, maybe you have a chance.” From that chance, Djokovic manufactured a ticket to the final as Federer fell away. Deflated, mentally crushed, the Swiss could not stop the Serb from getting what he wanted. Then again, he has only been stopped twice this year so far – once by Federer in Paris – so the result was hardly a surprise. Nadal had a slightly easier path to the final, beating Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Scotland’s finest was strangely subdued while Nadal was picking up speed as he approached yet another major  final. There is no more fearsome sight than Nadal marching through the second week of a grand slam.Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was the lingering after effects of his four long sets against John Isner on Friday – whatever it was, Murray was complaining from the start that his legs “felt like bricks”. To make matters worse, he was not quite sure how many risks to take. Knowing that playing Nadal’s game from the baseline was simply a ticket to the airport and the check-in queue, he needed to attack. But if he attacked at the wrong moment, Nadal would pass him with ease. This led to a mental block for the Scot, one that needed to be sorted out – and sorted out soon. So, while other players struggle to take on Nadal and emerge with their pride intact, Murray was facing the world No.2, the defending champion and his own insecurities. The running commentary on his own failings ranged from the straight forward – “that was the worst slice you’ve played all year” – to the expletive-ridden obvious. By the second set, Murray tried to cajole himself into a more positive frame of mind. “I know how to play this guy,” he told himself after three break points had gone begging. “You know – you know what you’re doing.” But the on-court therapy session did not work; a few moments later, Nadal had broken Murray’s serve for a 3-2 lead and the Scot was staring at a massive task ahead of him if he was going to turn the match around. The pity was that Murray was not that far off Nadal. The match statistics showed only a few percentage points between the two men – Nadal was winning more second serve points and he made fewer errors, but in most departments, Murray was matching the Spaniard. The big difference was the important points. When Murray had break points, he either over pressed or appeared to be caught in two minds – and faced with two options, he took neither and missed the opportunity. Nadal, on the other hand, saw a chance and pounced on it. That is the way it always is with Nadal: he who hesitates is lost. With his back to the wall, Murray knew the only way was to attack – and he that he did. It won him the third set and earned him a break point in the fourth but when that chance, too, slipped away – another backhand into the net – Murray deflated and Nadal romped into the final. |
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