OT: Federer vs. Djokovic
French Open semifinals today. Nadal advanced past Murray in straight sets this morning (no surprise), but the real match just got underway. As Nadal said, it is the best player in the world right now against the greatest player of all time. Federer vs. Djokovic. Djokovic is playing not only for a spot in the final and the number 1 ranking, but to tie McEnroe's undefeated record for a season at 42. Hopefully, the streak ends today. Let's go Fed
Currently on serve 3-2 Djokovic in the first set.
he's gonna need his backhand to be this good all day to win, I think.
I am a Federer fan as well, but it is hard to bet against Djokovic at this point. Also, on the one hand I would love to see him beat Mc's record, but it would be really nice to see a Federer Nadal final. I would llove to see Federer finally beat Nadal on clay.
Either way it is setting up to be a great final. The women on the other hand is a literal who? is who? Not the way most mean it...but really, who are these two playing for a grand slam.
Schiavone is the defending champ.
Na made the finals of the Aussie this year.
I guess it shows that I don't follow womens tennis very much. If you aren't ranked in the top 5 I wouldn't have heard of you. My mistake.
she's maybe the fittest woman on the tour (despite being 30) and just works her ass off every match. Na isn't bad either.
I'd rather watch either one play than the push-fest that is Caroline Wozniacki.
that Schiavone was built like a man. She seems pretty fit but I have to confess that most of my womens tennis watching to to look at the girls playing, and though fit, she isn't great to look at.
In the one match I watched her play she seemed to track down every ball. I agree with you comment about Wozniaki though, she might win a lot and be ranked number one, but she is not fun to watch at all.
It's funny how far tennis has come since I started watching. In mens tennis there aren't nearly the rallies there used to be. The ball is hit with such pace that it is rare to see a rally last more than 5 or 6 shots. I remember watching Lendel, Edberg, Becker, Connor's and Johnny Mc. and loved watching the rallies. Agassi was also fun to watch but that was about the time the rally was slowly phasing out.
Still a great sport to watch though.
Love Fed, but Djokovic is on a whole other level right now.
Is Wayne Brady gonna have to Djokovic?
10 break points halfway through the first set.
I am at work and not seeing the match is killing me.
nbcsports.msnbc.com
Not available in Canada apparently. CURSES!
Rooting for Federer, but I like both of these guys and will root for the winner in the final. This match has already been more entertaining in the first set than the Murray-Nadal match in sum. This tie breaker is going to be intense.
This sucks not being able to watch!!!
up a mini-break.
that set was ridiculously entertaining
First set Federer. 7-5 in the breaker.
I remember Federer calling him out after he did it to Roddick a few years back when Roddick was tooling him.
was a lot more important for roger. he looked nervous and must have framed four or five balls. it will still be an uphill battle for roger to pull it out.
This is just my opinion, but I think you are wrong about the first set being more improtant for Federer. He has owned Djokovic over their careers and he has proven over the last decade that he is as strong mentally as he is physically. He has also proven that he can come back when he gets down in a match.
Djokovic on the other hand has always had problems with the mental aspect of his game. If the first set was more important to anyone, I would say it was Djokovic.
Also, Roger hitting four or five balls off the frame of his racket doesn't necessarily mean he was nervous. He does that many times throughout the match and usually it is when he is trying to really pound the ball. That stuff just happens.
Not that he is immune to getting nervous, but do you know how many grand slam semi finals he has played in? I don't think nerves should be a big issue for Federer myself.
is falling apart in this second set, perhaps you are right!
my reasoning was that novak has been on an unbelievable streak this year. i cant believe how out of it novak seems to be right now.
I agree, Djokovic has been great lately, but he has never played Federer well. He is still really young and has a lot of great years ahead of him. If he can develop the mental strength Federer has over the years he will be one of the great ones. He has a long way to go in that department though.
The only chink I have ever seen in Federers armour (mentally) is Nadal on clay. If they play in the finals I would love to see him take out Nadal on clay at long last.
Rooting for Federer. Not sure I totally buy this remarkable enchancement in Djokovic's game being all due to a gluten-free diet...
Maybe that is what Jose Bautista has been doing since moving to the Jays....Going from 16 home runs a year to 50+ is pretty amazing.
Though Djokovic has been in great form this year, he has always struggled against Federer (like everyone except Nadal). I know Roger isn't in peak form this year, but I just think Novak goes to pieces when they play (I hope this trend continues today).
Lets go Roger!
While he doesn't have the stellar head-to-head record against Federer that Nadal does, I'd hardly say that he has always strugged against Roger. I mean, it's only 13-9 in favor of Federer, and 4-3 in Grand Slam events. Not to mention that in the past year, Djokovic has had the upper hand in the rivalry.
It's nice to see Federer taking it to him here though. Here's to hoping that he can take out Nadal in the finals should he hold on to this match.
Federer is serving like a madman right now
Federer up 7-6 5-2
7-6, 5-2 Federer with double set point after he duffed a drop shot.
5-3 Fed in the second set after not taking advantage of a few set points.
Fed up 2 sets to none now
I do like Djokovic, but Federer has been my favorite player for a long time so I am cheering for him today. The only player I really don't cheer much for on tour are anyone playing Federer and Nadal. He is a great talent, but my favorite players nemesis so I can't cheer for him no matter how good he is. There is something about all the ass picking he does too...That's just gross.
Djok clearly frustrated after two Federer serves are called in. Fed fights off a Djok break point to win the game and the second set 6-3.
keep it coming for a guy stuck in the office!
2 sets to 0 for Fed! Come on Roger
Federer can't rally from deuce to break Djokovic. Djok up 1-0 in the third. For what it's worth, Djokovic looks more winded than Federer.
A forehand miscue and a backhand miscue by Federer give Djok the break and second game.
Djokovic making quick work of the thid game. Up 3-0.
I want some better news next post!
Nothing much to say besides Djokovic playing better than Federer right now. Federer fights off a break point with a big serve down the middle then comes back with a little cut shot to get the advantage. Djokovic hits Federer's second serve into the net which ends the game. Djok up 3-1 in the third.
Beginning of fifth game, Djokovic is working Fed all over the court. Federer rallies to bring it to deuce but can't connect on a reaching backhand to give Djokovic the advantage. Federer ends the last rally with a backhand into the net as Djokovic goes up 4-1.
Federer lobs one up for an overhead slam by Djokovic, but he hits it right back to Federer who then puts it away. Backhand by Djokovic goes wide as Federer wins sixth game, now 4-2 Djokovic.
Djokovic wins 7th game with a smashing forehand, otherwise standard tennis. Djok up 5-2
Phone rang, missed two games. 6-3 Djok. Fed up 2 sets to 1.
Federer was down 5-2 in the set - and I have never been in 5 set matches, only best of 3 - but i almost get the feeling that it is better off to cut your losses and save energy for the next set when you get down like that. I know its only one break down, but recovery time is important too - getting a good start on the next set while your opponent is down after working so hard to secure the set.
I'm in the same boat. I'm not sure what is the best strategy. Conventional wisdom would tell me that you live to fight another day as you only need to win one of the next two.