Australian Open - 2020

Hahahajahaha joke of the year hahaha

I see Fed gone to full bed Poly strings this match for extra pop, still issue with closing points.

Embarrasing set point lost

This match gone

legendkillar wrote:

barrystar wrote:

legendkillar wrote:If I could throw the towel in for Federer, I would.

I think one stat he's rightly proud of is that there are no RET in his career of 1,500 matches, only a handful of W/O.  Once he's decided he's fit enough to play he sticks around to take what comes.  I'd be astonished if today was the first RET.

And that is a truly astounding stat and I know he’ll see it through. 

He’s not going down without some form of fight. I just wish it were one which had a knockout blow.

The guy's legendary status goes so far beyond just the stats, and this is a case in point.

Sad to see him go out but he's made far more of this match than I thought imaginable. Just a shame he gave me hope.... as we all know, we can handle the despair, it's the hope that kills you.

bogbrush wrote:

legendkillar wrote:

barrystar wrote:

legendkillar wrote:If I could throw the towel in for Federer, I would.

I think one stat he's rightly proud of is that there are no RET in his career of 1,500 matches, only a handful of W/O.  Once he's decided he's fit enough to play he sticks around to take what comes.  I'd be astonished if today was the first RET.

And that is a truly astounding stat and I know he’ll see it through. 

He’s not going down without some form of fight. I just wish it were one which had a knockout blow.

The guy's legendary status goes so far beyond just the stats, and this is a case in point.

Sad to see him go out but he's made far more of this match than I thought imaginable. Just a shame he gave me hope.... as we all know, we can handle the despair, it's the hope that kills you.

 , looking for my clip from Clockwise.....

...thats how he used to do it...the FH

Kept it respectable.

Good man.

Fed just can't rally with Djokovic. This is where Djo feels absolutely comfortable with Fed especially in TBs. He just needs to keep moving Fed around and get him to hit a make-or-break shot. Fed 90% of the times will fail. His shots lack fire-power to get through Djoko.

The only hope Fed has against Djoko is his service firing all guns. Even an inch less, and Fed is done.

Likely he wil not beat Djoko in a slam in future too.

Djoko is the what Nadal on clay was for the younger Fed.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Fed just can't rally with Djokovic. This is where Djo feels absolutely comfortable with Fed especially in TBs. He just needs to keep moving Fed around and get him to hit a make-or-break shot. Fed 90% of the times will fail. His shots lack fire-power to get through Djoko.

The only hope Fed has against Djoko is his service firing all guns. Even an inch less, and Fed is done.

Likely he wil not beat Djoko in a slam in future too.

It's still <12 months since he showed he has the game to biff him. I won't rule it out but he really needs the conditions to fall in place.

barrystar wrote:

legendkillar wrote:If I could throw the towel in for Federer, I would.

I think one stat he's rightly proud of is that there are no RET in his career of 1,500 matches, only a handful of W/O.  Once he's decided he's fit enough to play he sticks around to take what comes.  I'd be astonished if today was the first RET.

Isn’t this a bit of a nothing stat? Ok, it shows that he doesn’t retire just because he is losing but it mainly just shows he’s had a bit of good fortune to never pick up a significant injury within a match. I can’t recall any match where he has been so obviously hampered that he was guaranteed to lose and carried on anyway. That’s not to take anything away from him but of all the stats associated with Federer this is definitely the most meh.

Probably about as good as could be expected for Fed, carrying a slight injury. For most of the first set he had a below par Novak on the ropes. Still looks as though he has the game to trouble him on grass if they do meet again at Wimbledon.

bogbrush wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Fed just can't rally with Djokovic. This is where Djo feels absolutely comfortable with Fed especially in TBs. He just needs to keep moving Fed around and get him to hit a make-or-break shot. Fed 90% of the times will fail. His shots lack fire-power to get through Djoko.

The only hope Fed has against Djoko is his service firing all guns. Even an inch less, and Fed is done.

Likely he wil not beat Djoko in a slam in future too.

It's still <12 months since he showed he has the game to biff him. I won't rule it out but he really needs the conditions to fall in place.

Fed in <12 months ago showed that he can come close to winning. But it also showed, he struggles to get over the line. 

Djo won those 3 TBs in Wimbledon19 finals playing pressure and free tennis. And even today's 1st set? How bad Djoko played today in 1st set, and yet Fed couldn't win that set.

Fed is always under the gun against Djoko. ALways. His game is very difficult for Fed to combat. Some odd days when everything falls, he can on in bo3. But slam? No way.

Slippy wrote:Probably about as good as could be expected for Fed, carrying a slight injury. For most of the first set he had a below par Novak on the ropes. Still looks as though he has the game to trouble him on grass if they do meet again at Wimbledon.

Trouble is not good enough. Djoko/Nadal feel some trouble with many guys on tour. And yet they come out of it.

Fed can get some good winners, some good games but overall will not beat Djoko anymore in a slam. I'll be glad to be proven wrong.

Heeeere we go!

bogbrush wrote:

legendkillar wrote:

barrystar wrote:

legendkillar wrote:If I could throw the towel in for Federer, I would.

I think one stat he's rightly proud of is that there are no RET in his career of 1,500 matches, only a handful of W/O.  Once he's decided he's fit enough to play he sticks around to take what comes.  I'd be astonished if today was the first RET.

And that is a truly astounding stat and I know he’ll see it through. 

He’s not going down without some form of fight. I just wish it were one which had a knockout blow.

The guy's legendary status goes so far beyond just the stats, and this is a case in point.

Sad to see him go out but he's made far more of this match than I thought imaginable. Just a shame he gave me hope.... as we all know, we can handle the despair, it's the hope that kills you.

For a set at the least I would argue. Those BP’s at 4-1 huge. Because I’d back him to have gone 6-1 and have credit in the bank should he burn a few points here or a game there in the second. The moment Djokovic took the first, the outcome was a formality.

For Djokovic he could sit back and get Federer to go gun ho just to get back in it. It so reminded me of the Federer/Agassi USO 2005 final when Agassi lost the first set, it dawned the fairytale was over.

For me Thiem has to win this. Zverev would just be a one hit wonder. Thiem has been gradually building and I think a maiden slam could be the beginning...

bogbrush wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Fed just can't rally with Djokovic. This is where Djo feels absolutely comfortable with Fed especially in TBs. He just needs to keep moving Fed around and get him to hit a make-or-break shot. Fed 90% of the times will fail. His shots lack fire-power to get through Djoko.

The only hope Fed has against Djoko is his service firing all guns. Even an inch less, and Fed is done.

Likely he wil not beat Djoko in a slam in future too.

It's still <12 months since he showed he has the game to biff him. I won't rule it out but he really needs the conditions to fall in place.

He had 2 champ points at wimb and how many set points here?  Even when Djok is beaten, the battle scars for Fed are too much and he's too old to regroup now.

It's going to be very nice watching Djok fall short of Fed's slam haul and watching him get old and have no variety at all to counter it.  NITB will disappear from this forum.  You watch. 

I'm not saying Fed WILL beat him, I'm just saying there is loads of cause to see it's feasible.

Well, glad I was not waking up for this one.  The result much as expected.  Not particularly bothered by the wasted chance in the first set.  Given how the whole match went, I am pretty sure Nole would have slowly got his teeth into the match and ground Fed down anyway.

All in all, not a bad tournament for Fed.  Making a slam SF at his age, while possibly being injured, is not bad - even considering his soft draw.

Also glad he does not seem to be planning on retiring this year - hopefully it is not just empty talk and/or wishful thinking on his part.

Rotla:  I don't necessarily disagree with much of what you say in substance, but you are looking at it from a way too gloomy an angle:

1.  First, Fed is 38.  Generic expectation would be for him to be losing to all and sundry.  The fact he gets as far as he does is impressive indeed.  All people of good will would love him to be beating Djokovic, but if he does not, it is hardly a big disappointment.

2.  As BB said, Fed could have very well beaten (admittedly a below best) Nole at Wimbledon.  To say "no way" Fed can beat Nole in a slam?  Just because he did not win one of his two MPs does not mean the way was shut and he had no hope of doing it.

I do not expect Fed to win any more slams from here, and that is fine with me.  But I also think he is not entirely without a chance - even if the road leads through Nole.

Slippy wrote:He’s 35 weeks behind Fed’s weeks at number 1 record. I think that’s in real danger if Novak wins here and improves last years form slightly.

As they say, great minds think alike - here is me from three months ago:

summerblues wrote:There is a fair chance that this time next year Fed will hold neither the slam record, nor the most weeks at No1 record.

Now we need Thiem or Zverev stop Nole somehow on Sunday.  TBH, I do not see it happening.  But never say never.

Right. I am pretty sure Zverev will develop a game to blast Djoko away.... Like all his new, gen peers. They have beaten him already while really young(by today standards) But I know he is not there yet and certainly not in slams. He might win a set or 2 at best but physically he is not in the same league.

For that reason I am hoping for a quick win from Thiem. He on the other hand is reaching that maturity that is simply needed nowadays to win slams and he has indeed beaten those RRunners in bo5. Again like in the French open he is at a disadvantage. Beating Nadal in a slam takes a lot of energy like it took all his energy beating Nole at the French. Plus he will have a day less of resting to face a fully rested Novak.

But if one can do it, it's him. He has the power and more importantly the pace to make Nole run to exhaustion like Stan could on a few occasions. Unlike Nadal those guys force Nole to run faster even if maybe not as much. So it is more of the 400m race they force than a marathon (versus Nadal) and we all know this is the toughest race.
It won t be easy v Sacha especially if tired from his previous match.
Good luck Thiem. Always needed!

Too much obession over numbers yet again - without the context of spread of slams and that Wimbledon is the only slam or surface still playing even close to like it was originally intended.

And I also doubt Djok will get near Fed's slam record.  Nadal may get more but only because he's had no decent opponent on the dirt except one time with Soderling.

Also, you're all dreaming if you think Djok is playing as well as Thiem this tournament.

edit.

I agree with Tenez.  Zverev will likely blow it.  Thiem will crush Djok.

Them looks tired to me and Zverev is not going to make his task easy. Zverev is not playing badly.

Thiem is a road runner on a road runner surface

Yes he is tired and Zverev is playing solid.

Frankly I'd rather have a fit Zverev v Djoko than a tired Thiem.

That's the problem with the youngsters they can throw ugly games there and then and a pro like Djoko thrives on those.

you think everything is down to fitness and tiredness and youre crazy enough to think you can tell

federer played injured yesterday.i saw plenty of ugly games from djok

summerblues wrote:

Slippy wrote:He’s 35 weeks behind Fed’s weeks at number 1 record. I think that’s in real danger if Novak wins here and improves last years form slightly.

As they say, great minds think alike - here is me from three months ago:

summerblues wrote:There is a fair chance that this time next year Fed will hold neither the slam record, nor the most weeks at No1 record.

Aye - when Djoko discovers that numbers and love of the audience are not the same thing will it drive him crazy?

Zverev plays gutless tennis.

Zverev absolutely offering nothing up in aggressive play. Thiem got to fancy this surely. Zverev begging to be hit off the court.

I am astonished Zverev thinks he will junk ball Thiem to death. He isn’t going to beat Thiem on fitness.

From what I’ve seen so far, I’m struggling to envisage either of these guys troubling Djokovic. They’d need to step it up in a big way or hope that he had a real off day.

Thiem the more proactive in the tiebreak and takes it 7-3. Zverev remaining quite passive.

Glad Thiem won that one. Zverev only aggressive when behind. Would not work v Djoko.
Yes Daniel everything is down to fitness nowadays and this is why you will have the 2 fittest players in the final.
Rarely you have talent breaking this rule recently. It took amazing performances from Stan and a one-in-a-century genius to break that rule lately.

Yeah he's so tired he's virtually won... finished.  tired.  useless.  Decree of Tenez and his bone and muscle analysis 1.0.

legendkillar wrote:Zverev absolutely offering nothing up in aggressive play. Thiem got to fancy this surely. Zverev begging to be hit off the court.

You're forgetting this is a super slow crappy court.  Aggressive play doesn't work here.  Djok is going down.

Thiem the king of tiebreaks over the last few days. Not an overly impressive performance but he got the job done.

Pretty poor from Zverev. Thiem feasted on the junk in the end. 

Least Thiem will have a chance vs Djokovic.

Will be tough for Thien in the final, 6h play in total more than Djoko and 1 day less to rest.


But he will win it.

Take this the poetic way, please:

Nillu-willy
Willy- dilly
Steve TigNor ROCKS

Nole’s not gonna win this AO.
For the mere fact he said he disagrees with what M.Court said.
Why my brov, why?
Couldn’t you at least have kept your mouth shut?

noleisthebest wrote:Nole’s not gonna win this AO.
For the mere fact he said he disagrees with what M.Court said.
Why my brov, why?
Couldn’t you at least have kept your mouth shut?

Like Roger?

https://www.essentiallysports.com/its-a-tricky-one-roger-federer-opens-up-on-margaret-court-situation-ahead-of-australian-open-2020/

Yeah, I mean, it’s a tricky one. I don’t know what to tell you. She’s obviously an incredible tennis champion, one of the most successful ever. I know this subject also tears apart a lot of opinions and minds. So I think Tennis Australia, they got to do what they got to do. I honestly really have no opinion on that.

Thiem should be fine physically.  He can last forever and his last two matches were - though hard - not insanely difficult.  The only time I thought I may have seen him tired was last year in RG final, but that was after he had to finish his 5-set SF on Saturday.

I just do not think he will win.  But we shall see.  The match starts 3:30am my time.  I will probably set alarm clock for around 5am, so unless the match is very one-sided, I should see the most critical parts of it.

I just checked and was somewhat surprised to find that Thiem has a very respectable H2H vs Djokovic.  He is only 4:6 down overall, but has won four of their last five matches.

Maybe he does have a chance after all.  (How was it about hope vs despair gents?)

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Nole’s not gonna win this AO.
For the mere fact he said he disagrees with what M.Court said.
Why my brov, why?
Couldn’t you at least have kept your mouth shut?

Like Roger?

https://www.essentiallysports.com/its-a-tricky-one-roger-federer-opens-up-on-margaret-court-situation-ahead-of-australian-open-2020/

Yeah, I mean, it’s a tricky one. I don’t know what to tell you. She’s obviously an incredible tennis champion, one of the most successful ever. I know this subject also tears apart a lot of opinions and minds. So I think Tennis Australia, they got to do what they got to do. I honestly really have no opinion on that.

That's better than siding/supporting with LBGT or whatever they are called.

Nole will never learn to say no I suppose.